CASTLE DRIVE, CASTLE BEACH, FALMOUTH

A really intriguing coastal property on Falmouth’s seafront. Converted from a traditional coastguard’s cottage to a passive, eco house by a passionate environmentalist and renewable energy academic. The owner is also an avid horticulturalist having established a lavish display of coastal flowering plants surrounding the house.

Brief:

To design and build an off-road space to park and charge a small electric car to the front of the property. The project required drawing up of plans and flood risk assessments to apply for and furthermore gain full planning. 

Challenge: 

Rising ground from the roadside | to work around established planting that was not to be disturbed during the excavation & build | limited space for movement of materials.

Solution:

Wherever possible in a project we source sustainable, locally sourced materials. To avoid the use of cement we created dry stone granite ‘hedges’ to retain ground that was excavated. Curves created a softer backdrop to the new parking space, giving the new frontage interest whilst still providing a good area for a small car. The curved entrance leads you to a flight of granite stairs with cobble paving, constructed with care around the exuberant planting scheme. A permeable, low impact parking surface was created using a recycled plastic gravel grid with local quarried blue elvin chippings.

Outcome:

A sensitively executed, challenging build that allows improved access and privacy to the property while retaining the diversity and wealth of plant life in the established front garden. This is a true ‘Iron Orchid’ job where strength and sensitivity collaborate.