Blewbury Road Passive dwelling

Komorebi (pronounced kō-mō-leh-bē) is a Japanese word formed from their words for tree, to leak and sun. Literally, this gives us ‘sunlight leaking through trees’. A calming sensation when experienced and something we have tried to capture in the design of this new home.

Our clients purchased the site in 2024 with a bungalow in very poor repair, with the major concerns being windows missing and no central heating. It’s location, condition and size prevented a sustainable re-use, so we opted for a passive timber frame construction to give high levels of air-tightness and low running costs. The new dwelling occupies a similar position on the site, with the garden stretching down to a chalk stream gently meandering across the site. Two large Beech trees frame a view of an impressive Willow tree that provides dappled shade over the brook.

It is a special place.

Our clients wanted a modern home that fully connected visually and physically with a renovated garden and building on the special conditions that exist around the brook. Furthermore they desired a home that responded appropriately to climate change. The fabric first approach to the home is supplemented with PV slates, battery storage, external passive and active shading, rainwater harvesting and an air source heat pump, all controlled via home automation.

The house itself responds to the typology of the area taking cues from the rural and agricultural setting, a loose collection of simple rectangular forms organised around a courtyard or point of focus. The views out of the dwelling are predominantly to the south so internal space has a dual aspect to create lengthy framed views drawing the eye to the special parts of the site.

This home is due for completion in January 2027