Paragraph 84 approval for two houses of exceptional design.

Paragraph 84 approval for two houses of exceptional design.

FRILSHAM QUARRY, BERKSHIRE

Anderson + Prescott are happy to announce planning approval for two exceptional “Paragraph 84” dwellings in a disused lime quarry in the Berkshire countryside. To satisfy very challenging NPPF planning criteria the designs are of outstanding quality and sensitive to the setting.

Frilsham Quarry, active from the 1950s to the 1990s, had been neglected and used as a builder’s yard. The site still bears traces of its industrial past, with glimpses of the quarry face, conveyor belts, hoppers, and storehouses emerging through the recovering vegetation. In this picturesque landscape, regeneration does not mean rejecting what came before. Instead, A+P embraced the captivating history of the site. Our designs draw parallels between the natural beauty of the setting and the industrial interventions that shaped its character and topography. From the conceptual forms to the detailed execution and material choices it is this powerful tension between nature and industry which helps to define our design for two isolated dwellings at Frilsham Quarry.

A+P proposed two dwellings of exceptional design quality, each with a distinct identity contributing to the narrative of Frilsham Lime Quarry. Each house is carefully arranged to maximize privacy and minimize visual intrusion toward neighbours and one another. The North House boasts an expansive south-facing garden, while the South House has a more intimate linear east-facing garden extending towards a natural water pool located at the deepest lime excavation. An open swale connects the natural water pond with the wetland area in the northwest corner, acting as a natural boundary between the plots and obviating the need for intrusive fencing.

Architecturally, each house takes the form of a green podium that acts as a visual extension of the quarry face. The north-facing elevations are solid and thermally insulated, while the south-facing sides are glazed to capture passive solar gain and provide expansive views. Living spaces are positioned on top of the podiums with elevated views and outdoor rooms that seamlessly blend inside and outside living.

The North House sits on higher ground with a zigzag footprint, approached via a winding gravel drive that leads to a private courtyard enclosed by a rammed earth podium wall extending around three sides. Metallic volumes above reflect fragmented industrial roof forms, creating a silhouette that resonates with the undulating landscape.

The South House is more discrete, nestled into the wooded edge of the quarry. Its L-shaped footprint returns toward the quarry face, creating intimate garden spaces. The design takes the form of an inverted lime hopper inspired by discarded artifacts on the site, providing vaulted, well-ventilated living spaces and a striking reference to the site’s industrial heritage.

The undulating chalk dip slope of Frilsham Quarry inspired our use of Stabilised Rammed Earth (SRE) in the lower floors of both houses. SRE is a sustainable construction method made from natural subsoil and crushed stone, which has much lower embodied energy than traditional construction materials. The result is visually striking, revealing compressed earth layers while retaining the structural properties of stone, reflecting the industrial impact on the landscape and integrating it into the architectural narrative.

The site’s orientation enabled passive solar heating and cooling, with inverted living spaces on the upper levels to capture rising heat. Collaborating with the energy consultant, we optimized thermal comfort and energy efficiency, incorporating natural insulation, MVHR systems, and renewable technologies. Integrated photovoltaic panels, ground source heat pumps, and rainwater harvesting systems reduce operational emissions, with both homes meeting the RIBA 2030 sustainability targets.

Frilsham Quarry presented a unique opportunity to regenerate an industrial landscape into a thriving ecosystem. Central to our design philosophy is fostering a personal relationship with nature and how we interact with our surroundings. A+P aimed to encourage permeability alongside thermal efficiency with green roofs, bioclimatic climbers, and extensive glazing providing continuous views of the landscape. Our natural material palette brings nature inside the homes, enhancing wellbeing and connection to the surroundings. Amenable water features, including natural pools and swales, integrate seamlessly into the landscape, connecting the site’s wider habitats and creating seasonal wetland habitats, enhancing the landscape and biodiversity.

At Frilsham Quarry, we are blending outstanding architectural design with innovative sustainability to create two industry-leading homes that honour the past while embracing the future We are excited to see these exceptional houses progress to the next stage of development.

#Architecture #Paragraph84 #SustainableDesign #RammedEarth #Nature #Biodiversity #PassiveDesign #IndustrialHeritage #FrilshamQuarry #PlanningApproval #Regeneration #CommercialArchitecture #Sustainability #NaturalArchitecture #SRE

 

 

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