On a private wooded hillside road on the outskirts of Bath, the house\u2019s site offers panoramic views over the city towards Bristol, the Severn Estuary and Monmouthshire beyond.<\/p>\n
The original bungalow suffered from poor insulation and had a palette of low-quality, pastiche materials. By retrofitting external insulation to the existing walls, Forgeworks have unified the aesthetic of the house, repurposing the existing structure and significantly enhancing the home\u2019s energy efficiency.<\/p>\n
The internal layout has been reworked by relocating the main entrance so that the house is divided between east and west. The main living spaces now look out to the west over the vale and benefit from evening light.<\/p>\n
Portions of the loft space have been opened up to add volume and drama, resulting in features such as a double-height, sky-lit hallway, a mono-pitched kitchen-dining area and deep-set roof lights that illuminate the previously dark rear bedrooms. In the main living area, the original roof pitch has been inverted to create an unexpected external profile and a generously spacious interior.<\/p>\n
The new spaces have been designed in collaboration with the client \u2013 the interior designer Celia McCarthy, founder of Richardson Studio \u2013 and use a palette of bold colours to give each area its own character. Deep black is used in the entrance lobby, bright yellow in the hallway, a pink and green-toned terrazzo kitchen and a dusty pink-coloured main bedroom. These colours are complemented by natural materials such as textured lime-plastered walls, exposed spruce beams and wood wool insulation and engineered oak flooring.<\/p>\n
\n
Architect\u2019s view<\/h3>\n
Blue label Canadian cedar is the statement material of the project, chosen for its sustainability and ability to age well. The small shingle size breaks down the scale of the building, while original form of the house is maintained by positioning the roof lights, solar panel and vents to the rear roof slope where they are hidden from general view.<\/p>\n
A fabric-first approach reduces energy demand, and additional sustainable features were considered alongside this. Solar panels occupy the large roof area and a system of air source heat pumps decarbonise the heating system.<\/p>\n
Sustainability was a key consideration of the material choices which include the UK grown timber used for the exposed beams, wood wool acoustic panels in the kitchen and living space soffits, natural lime breathable plaster and breathable bio-based paints. The exterior landscaping reused rubble from the site works to fill planters and features local Cotswold gravel pathways.
\nChris Hawkins, director, Forgeworks<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/01\/09125011\/Proposed-Ground-floor-plan.webp\")
Ground floor plan<\/p>\n\t
Source:Forgeworks<\/p><\/div>\n
Project data<\/h3>\n
Client<\/strong> Celia & Keith McCarthey (Richardson Studio)
\nPlanning granted<\/strong> November 2021
\nCompletion<\/strong> June 2024
\nProject value<\/strong> Undisclosed
\nFloor area<\/strong>\u00a0261m2<\/sup> main house; 25m2<\/sup> studio
\nArchitect<\/strong> Forgeworks
\nInteriors<\/strong> Richardson Studio
\nPlanning consultant<\/strong> Context Planning
\nEcologist<\/strong> Quantock
\n<\/span>Structural engineer<\/strong> PK & Partners
\n<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On a private wooded hillside road on the outskirts of Bath, the house\u2019s site offers panoramic views over the city towards Bristol, the Severn Estuary and Monmouthshire beyond. The original bungalow suffered from poor insulation and had a palette of low-quality, pastiche materials. By retrofitting external insulation to the existing walls, Forgeworks have unified the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17128,"featured_media":769973,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[706],"tags":[100796,47220,78148,4456,1342],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/01\/09124252\/A-house-of-wood-shingle-009-Forgeworks-Architects-Richardson-Studio.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/01\/09124347\/A-house-of-wood-shingle-004-Forgeworks-Architects-Richardson-Studio.webp\")
<\/p>\n