{"id":778635,"date":"2025-03-26T07:46:44","date_gmt":"2025-03-26T07:46:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=778635"},"modified":"2025-03-27T09:24:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T09:24:23","slug":"hugh-stranges-house-on-a-hill-embraces-the-vertical","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/hugh-stranges-house-on-a-hill-embraces-the-vertical","title":{"rendered":"A first look at Hugh Strange\u2019s House on a Hill in Hastings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The landscape of West Hill in Hastings is characterised by the steep transition from the elevated Wealden basin to the coastal seafront. Streets are lined with formal Victorian-era homes while terraced gardens and retaining walls, marked by the coastal weather, descend the slope to the backs of the houses.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">This terraced condition poses a challenge to building house extensions, notably the potential investment needed to hold back or cut into the slope and the dark, sunken spaces adjacent to the buildings. House on a Hill is as much a reworking of the fabric of the existing Victorian villa as it is an extension. A number of new pavilions to the rear expand the interior and negotiate the challenging conditions, allowing the natural characteristics of the existing landscape to define the structure and atmosphere of this carefully adapted and extended home.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"breakout aligncenter wp-image-779842 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-scaled.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-300x197.webp 300w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-1024x673.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-768x505.webp 768w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-1600x1051.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-1827x1200.webp 1827w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-1536x1009.webp 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-2048x1345.webp 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-185x123.webp 185w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-230x151.webp 230w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154009\/HSA_Hastings_RG-9-copy-150x99.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">The client, a small-scale property developer, hired architect Hugh Strange on the basis of his construction methodology. Strange\u2019s work is typified by a humble reaction to site conditions and a resourceful celebration of typically concealed materials. On site, he spoke openly about the project\u2019s construction, putting great weight on collaborating closely with a select group of consultants and suppliers.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">With the experienced client acting as project manager and the timber frame package priced early on by the subcontractor, the project bypassed a typical RIBA Stage 4 tender, moving quickly from planning consent to assembly packages for construction.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Strange comments: \u2018Usually we draw 90 per cent CAD drawings and 10 per cent hand sketches on site, but this was more like 60:40, using sketches to resolve issues rather than a fully resolved construction set.\u2019<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"breakout aligncenter wp-image-779840 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-scaled.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1709\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-1024x684.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-768x513.webp 768w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-748x499.webp 748w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-492x328.webp 492w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-1600x1068.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-1798x1200.webp 1798w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-2048x1367.webp 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-185x123.webp 185w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-230x154.webp 230w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20153826\/HSA_Hastings_RG-2-copy-150x100.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">This allowed space for adaptations to arise on site, and for collaborative decision-making, less governed by the constraints of a contractual schedule of works.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">The project began with shoring up the landscape through tie rods with visible cappings and rough cast in-situ concrete mantles atop the retaining walls. Both are practical, low-cost, infrastructural decisions that, despite leaving their mark on the landscape, seem fitting to its rough patina. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Next, four new structures were added to the terraces: three laminated veneer lumber (LVL) pavilions and one galvanised steel pergola. Each is designed as an independent structure, stepped in from the boundaries and offset from the others to create small and large courtyards. The pavilions are lined with red grandis (eucalyptus) windows, with hoods of galvanised steel and topped with semi-intensive green roofs. Designing the extension as a series of pavilions allows space around and in between structures, which avoids overwhelming the site and creates a charged dialogue between the new structure and textured existing landscape.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"breakout aligncenter wp-image-779971 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-scaled.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1696\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-1024x678.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-768x509.webp 768w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-1600x1060.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-1811x1200.webp 1811w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-1536x1018.webp 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-2048x1357.webp 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-185x123.webp 185w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-230x152.webp 230w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21103902\/HSA_Hastings_RG-5-copy-150x99.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">A new gallery replaces a late 20th-century lean-to, extending the kitchen and dining areas into a larger interconnected social space. Carefully adapted openings in the existing wall of the Victorian villa provide diagonal views out to the garden, even from the plan\u2019s depths. The gallery is lined with a raised bench along its length and tall open sliding windows, and acts as a contemplative resting space. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Its layered construction, which uses LVL laminates for both structure and surface, is particularly noticeable in the columns and large downstand beams that, at each end of the gallery, differentiate the lower doorways from the high-level curtain glazing of the courtyard. At right angles to the gallery is a small living area. It is separated by a step up in section, giving the room independence and an oversight of the goings on in the courtyard garden, kitchen and dining space.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Both new pavilions open to the courtyard through finely crafted horizontal sliding doors, with the rougher LVL structural columns set back from the perimeter. When these doors are opened, a transformation occurs: the interior opens to the garden leaving the columns standing in open space, evoking the initial construction site condition of timber pergolas. This view out, facing over a deep French drain to the raised existing concrete slab, is reminiscent of sitting on the timber-framed veranda of Kyoto\u2019s Ents\u016b-ji temple, albeit the garden ground is raised above where you sit, rather than lowered. This same gap between the gallery and garden room pavilion allows for an overshoot of the angled galvanised hood. When viewed from the garden room, this almost feels like it is flying inside. This loose fit approach allows each pavilion to feel like a room in a collection of outdoor and indoor territories.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"breakout aligncenter wp-image-779843 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-scaled.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-1024x768.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-768x576.webp 768w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-1467x1100.webp 1467w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-1600x1200.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-1536x1152.webp 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-2048x1536.webp 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-440x330.webp 440w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-230x173.webp 230w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/20154044\/HSA_Hastings_RG-4-150x113.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Facing the challenge of forming an accessible route stepping up the garden, Strange has added a steel staircase, clipped-on the edge of the retaining wall. This ascends to a home studio where there are views out over the roofs to the sea. A new path extends further up the hill on which a small seat, formed of block and a leftover stair tread, creates a reading space under an existing mulberry tree. At the top level, a steel pergola is more a suggestion of an outdoor room, to be trailed in vines in the future as a place to enjoy the most expansive vista. The project also included the refurbishment of the upper floor, where Strange\u2019s scope was more advisory. Its most notable space is a skillfully crafted \u2018Japanese meets Bauhaus\u2019 bathroom.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">Strange\u2019s recent PhD research, \u2018Creative Space of the Building Site\u2019<i>, <\/i>emphasises the significance of construction processes in architectural design. He posits that good architecture emerges through construction, allowing for adaptation and innovation during the building process. His thesis references a study on the one-man practice of Walter Segal, who was, in his own words, \u2018not prepared to part with any aspect of design or detailing\u2019. At House on a Hill, Strange\u2019s methodology demonstrates a less rigid and more collaborative approach, emphasising the importance of trust between the architect, client, structural engineer and subcontractors.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Strange\u2019s frame-first construction methodology sets up a collective spatial and material understanding of the project\u2019s aspirations. The subsequent enclosures and linings are carefully sequenced to accommodate and celebrate changes the site throws up<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">The frame-first construction methodology on show sets up a collective spatial and material understanding of the project\u2019s aspirations from the outset. The subsequent enclosures and linings are carefully sequenced to accommodate and celebrate changes the site throws up, allowing creative input from all parties involved. This illustrates a more dynamic and frankly less daunting way to build, with an acceptance that decision-making can be strung out across the project process rather than contractually bundled up at the end of RIBA Stage 4. This more fluid client-architect relationship avoids the limitations of pre-contract decisions.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"breakout aligncenter wp-image-779973 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-scaled.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-300x198.webp 300w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-1024x677.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-768x508.webp 768w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-1600x1058.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-1814x1200.webp 1814w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-1536x1016.webp 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-2048x1355.webp 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-185x123.webp 185w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-230x152.webp 230w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/21104405\/HSA_Hastings_RG-13-copy-150x99.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">As a young practitioner, visiting the site in person, I came away with an encouragement that the construction process \u2013 if you take time to understand the way you work, and who with \u2013 gives the opportunity for playful, honest and unexpected architectural expression.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>Michael Dillon is director of AOMD (Architectural Office Michael Dillon)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Architect\u2019s view<\/h3>\n<p>Above Hastings\u2019 town centre, residential areas cling to the hillsides. The steepness of the private gardens had led the client\u2019s property, a Victorian detached house with 1980s extension, to turn its back on the outdoor space, while the condition of the garden\u2019s concrete terraces had become precarious.<\/p>\n<p>The project reorientates the house towards this hillside while piecing together a new route up the rear garden. This interplay of built form and route, along with the central external terrace, now provides the focus of the property.<\/p>\n<p>The house has been carefully renovated, and the poorly constructed addition replaced with a gallery space. From this gallery, the kitchen and dining room are now connected, and a few steps up is a new garden room. Further up the hill is a study, accessible only from the outside. Where previously the rooms were disconnected and lacked natural light, there are now multiple routes, and light is brought into the depths of the interior.<\/p>\n<p>To reduce embodied carbon, the concrete terraces have been repaired rather than replaced. A series of ground anchors hold steady the retaining walls, identifiable through their distinctive circular caps, while concrete repairs patch cracks.<br \/>\n<em>Hugh Strange, director, Hugh Strange Architects<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"inline_image fullsize image_size_full\" data-attachment=\"779114\">\n<p class=\"picture\"><span class=\"fullsize\" title=\"Show fullscreen\">\u00a0<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-779114\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101244\/BS2_DWGS_March-2025-scaled.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101244\/BS2_DWGS_March-2025-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101244\/BS2_DWGS_March-2025-300x250.webp 300w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101244\/BS2_DWGS_March-2025-1024x853.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101244\/BS2_DWGS_March-2025-768x640.webp 768w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101244\/BS2_DWGS_March-2025-1320x1100.webp 1320w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101244\/BS2_DWGS_March-2025-1440x1200.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101244\/BS2_DWGS_March-2025-1536x1280.webp 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101244\/BS2_DWGS_March-2025-2048x1707.webp 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101244\/BS2_DWGS_March-2025-230x192.webp 230w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101244\/BS2_DWGS_March-2025-150x125.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Engineer\u2019s view<\/h3>\n<p>The whole project is predicated on the repair of the existing concrete terraced garden. Previously in very poor condition, the careful anchoring, reinforcing and patching of the undesigned and ad-hoc existing concrete avoided the need for demolition and new retaining walls, with significant savings in embodied carbon. The existing Victorian house was renovated with a number of environmental improvements, including new glazing throughout, added insulation and the installation of an air-source heat pump.<\/p>\n<p>The earlier 1980s extension, of poor construction and without insulation, was replaced with a well-insulated extension that encourages cross ventilation and brings natural light deeper within the interiors. All the new construction uses engineered timber (LVL) as a lightweight low-carbon material, and all accommodate green roofs to encourage biodiversity and better manage rainwater.<br \/>\n<em>Andy Toohey, partner, Price &amp; Myers<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"inline_image fullsize image_size_full\" data-attachment=\"779115\">\n<p class=\"picture\"><span class=\"fullsize\" title=\"Show fullscreen\">\u00a0<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-779115\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101321\/BS2_DWGS_March-20252-scaled.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101321\/BS2_DWGS_March-20252-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101321\/BS2_DWGS_March-20252-300x283.webp 300w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101321\/BS2_DWGS_March-20252-1024x967.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101321\/BS2_DWGS_March-20252-768x725.webp 768w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101321\/BS2_DWGS_March-20252-1165x1100.webp 1165w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101321\/BS2_DWGS_March-20252-1271x1200.webp 1271w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101321\/BS2_DWGS_March-20252-1536x1451.webp 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101321\/BS2_DWGS_March-20252-2048x1934.webp 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101321\/BS2_DWGS_March-20252-230x217.webp 230w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101321\/BS2_DWGS_March-20252-150x142.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Client\u2019s view<\/h3>\n<p>I approached quite a few architects when I first started to plan for my project. Of the architects I spoke to, Hugh Strange really took time to think carefully about what I was asking for.<\/p>\n<p>Having said that I knew what I wanted, the design still adapted organically over time, to better meet what I was trying to achieve.<\/p>\n<p>My key design criteria was to create a feeling of space and openness and bring more light to the building without settling on a generic glass box (which would sit awkwardly with the original Victorian house).<\/p>\n<p>I wondered quite often during the build whether the finished project would be used in the way that I expected. The gallery was a risk \u2013 it is a space that, on the face of it, has no defined purpose. However, since completion it has clearly become the heart of the extension \u2013 it encourages me and guests to gather there, move through it from one part of the house to another, and enhances the flow of the house, which was ultimately a key criteria.<\/p>\n<p>By opening up the spaces it has helped me break down the distinctions between living, working and dining and gain a space that it totally unique but, equally, highly functional.<br \/>\n<em>Simon Basey, client<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"inline_image fullsize image_size_full\" data-attachment=\"779116\">\n<p class=\"picture\"><span class=\"fullsize\" title=\"Show fullscreen\">\u00a0<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-779116\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101346\/BS2_DWGS_March-20253-scaled.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101346\/BS2_DWGS_March-20253-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101346\/BS2_DWGS_March-20253-300x218.webp 300w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101346\/BS2_DWGS_March-20253-1024x744.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101346\/BS2_DWGS_March-20253-768x558.webp 768w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101346\/BS2_DWGS_March-20253-1513x1100.webp 1513w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101346\/BS2_DWGS_March-20253-1651x1200.webp 1651w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101346\/BS2_DWGS_March-20253-1536x1117.webp 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101346\/BS2_DWGS_March-20253-2048x1489.webp 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101346\/BS2_DWGS_March-20253-230x167.webp 230w, https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/17101346\/BS2_DWGS_March-20253-150x109.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Working detail<\/h3>\n<p>The new structures, formed of engineered timber (LVL), sit lightly on the repaired concrete. Their construction is precisely articulated, the structural distinguished from the non-structural, and the junctions detailed to allow disassembly and reuse.<\/p>\n<p>Critical to the project\u2019s architecture, the corner timber junctions articulate the support of beams by posts, and the support of one beam on the notched profile of the adjoining beam.<\/p>\n<p>The resulting stepped corner is expressed in the glazing, with sliding doors occupying the higher profile, their large apertures opening on to the central courtyard, and the external metal cladding lifted at these moments to form projecting and protecting metal caps.<br \/>\n<em>Hugh Strange, director, Hugh Strange Architects<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Project data<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p1\"><b>Location<\/b>\u00a0Hastings<br \/>\n<b>Start on site<\/b>\u00a0October 2021<br \/>\n<b>Completion<\/b>\u00a0June 2023<br \/>\n<b>Gross internal floor area<\/b>\u00a0209m<sup>2<\/sup><br \/>\n<b>Construction cost<\/b>\u00a0\u00a3600,000<br \/>\n<b>Construction cost per m<sup>2<\/sup><\/b>\u00a0\u00a32,870<br \/>\n<b>Architect<\/b>\u00a0Hugh Strange Architects<br \/>\n<b>Client<\/b>\u00a0Simon Basey<br \/>\n<b>Structural engineer<\/b>\u00a0Price &amp; Myers<br \/>\n<b>Project manager<\/b>\u00a0Jethro Warren<br \/>\n<b>Principal designer<\/b>\u00a0Hugh Strange Architects<br \/>\n<b>Approved building inspector<\/b>\u00a0Jhai<br \/>\n<b>Main contractor<\/b>\u00a0N\/A<br \/>\n<b>CAD software used<\/b>\u00a0Vectorworks<\/p>\n<h3>Sustainability data<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Percentage of floor area with daylight factor &gt;2%<\/strong>\u00a0Not supplied<br \/>\n<strong>Percentage of floor area with daylight factor &gt;5%<\/strong>\u00a0Not supplied<br \/>\n<strong>On-site energy generation<\/strong>\u00a0Not supplied<br \/>\n<strong>Heating and hot water load<\/strong>\u00a0Not supplied<br \/>\n<strong>Operational energy<\/strong>\u00a0Not supplied<br \/>\n<strong>Total energy load<\/strong>\u00a033 kWh\/m<sup>2<\/sup>\/yr<br \/>\n<strong>Carbon emissions<\/strong>\u00a0Not supplied<br \/>\n<strong>Annual mains water consumption<\/strong>\u00a0110 litres per person per day<br \/>\n<strong>Airtightness at 50Pa<\/strong>\u00a0Not supplied<br \/>\n<strong>Overall thermal bridging heat transfer coefficient (Y-value)<\/strong>\u00a0Not supplied<br \/>\n<strong>Overall area-weighted U-value<\/strong>\u00a0Not supplied<br \/>\n<strong>Annual CO2 emissions<\/strong>\u00a0Not supplied<br \/>\n<strong>Embodied carbon<\/strong>\u00a093 kgCO2eq\/m<sup>2<\/sup><br \/>\n<strong>Whole-life carbon<\/strong>\u00a095 kgCO2eq\/m<sup>2<\/sup><br \/>\n<strong>Predicted design life<\/strong>\u00a050 years<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The landscape of West Hill in Hastings is characterised by the steep transition from the elevated Wealden basin to the coastal seafront. Streets are lined with formal Victorian-era homes while terraced gardens and retaining walls, marked by the coastal weather, descend the slope to the backs of the houses.\u00a0 This terraced condition poses a challenge &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17071,"featured_media":779841,"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":[3516,1919,3255],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>A first look at Hugh Strange\u2019s House on a Hill in Hastings<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hugh Strange\u2019s Hastings scheme successfully navigates the challenges of building a house extension on a steeply sloping site, says Michael Dillon. 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