Ness Cliff House | Vaughan Keal

"Stunning, just stunning" was the comment of the Local Authority Head of Planning.

The site was all about the amazing views across the North Sea, so it was designed to reinforce it's grand position. On entry, following twisting, winding narrow paths and drive you meet a threshold to the grounds where the sea view is cradled between the wings of the building form, that also sets-off the sculpture of the main house, with it's sinuous glazing sliding around the outer perimeter. Every room in the house has a connection to that view of the sea, anti-architecture in a way, celebrating and reinforcing the essence of the site rather than the building. Inside and outside merge into one, literal and phenomenal transparency the aim. A spiritual lift is felt by those visiting.

Light fills the home no matter where the sun is positioned, though the prime view is east, the south garden creates a large wall of direct sunshine. West facing clerestory glazing is added to the protective, sheltering back, with light wells and glass blocks, when the sun sets the orange glows enliven the interior even after the joy of the south and east daytime. All to add that spiritual lift.

Inspired by Stahl House [Case Study #22], the iconic 20th Century Hollywood Hills masterpiece in LA, America.....to which this design paid homage while being it's own piece. But as the client said his is to a much higher standard and definately preferred his home, Ness House. He visited the LA house after his was built, and confessed to being little crest fallen by the example, though it was the principle employed that counted.

This included an economy in structural engineering as adopted, using fast pre-fabricated elements including a German industrial product of self-spanning steel trays to allow large room spans and long over-hangs of the wing-like roof.

This passive and active solar design also transfers summer peak energy to the insulated foundations below which re-radiate the heat during the winter. A thermal seasonal store multiplied by a thermal store water system, and solar panels with heat-pump and mechanical heat vent recovery, make this a highly technical building behind the minimal calm styling.

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