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Download the 2007 Design Awards leaflet [PDF, 315 Kb]

Further information

New Building Category

Winner: Cedar House, Cringleford

Architects: Crispin Lambert Architecture, Loddon
Contractor: Willow Builders, Ditchingham

The brief was to provide a sustainable family home with open plan living accommodation. The site is located in an area of mixed character with large detached properties set within large plots. The design responds to this context with a contemporary solution and the use of simple mono-pitched roof forms creates a bold and distinctive building. The house is formed by two wings with a linking element comprising a staircase, bathrooms and laundry room.

The design has been based on environmentally sound principles and sustainability issues have formed a fundamental element of the design approach. The building is partially prefabricated with an ‘off-site’ timber frame construction. The timber frame is 220mm deep and is filled with shredded newspaper to provide a high level of thermal insulation.

The roof construction is composite joists which are manufactured with a large content of recycled timber offcuts. The roof is also filled with shredded newspaper to provide a similar high level of insulation to the walls. External doors and windows are constructed from thermally broken aluminium with low emissivity glass. A large proportion of the external cladding is untreated larch with the remainder being a self-coloured render which is similarly maintenance free.

Heat is provided through the use of a ground source heat recovery system comprising 1000m of pipework buried 1.8m below ground within the garden. Heat from the earth (warmed by the sun) is transferred through the use of a heat exchanger to warm the water for the underfloor heating system used throughout the house on both ground and first floors.

This provides an output of around 3 kilowatts heating for every kilowatt of energy input into the system. Coupled with a thermally efficient envelope, this produces a low energy building. Internally maximum advantage is taken of natural lighting to create a light and airy atmosphere throughout.

Commendation: New House, Autumn Drive, Costessey

Architect : Jon Venning, Long Stratton
Contractor : D J W Bryant & Son, Newton Flotman

This is a two bedroom dwelling where the owner’s aspiration was for a design which would be contemporary and contrast with the more conventionally styled properties in the area. The design also had to respond to the somewhat confined site context in a way that would not adversely affect the privacy of adjacent dwellings.

The building is of brick and block cavity wall construction with exposed oak framing and stained timber horizontal boarding as the predominant external facing material. Careful attention has been given to detailed design including the rainwater goods, external doors and windows and the glazed balustrade.

Existing Building Category

Winner: Saffron Barns, Long Stratton

Architect : Jacinta Webb, Saffron Housing Trust Ltd

This scheme involves the conversion and extension of Saffron Barns to provide office accommodation for the Saffron Housing Trust. The intention throughout was to emphasise openness, light, connection, welcome and well-being. The design responds to a particularly challenging site by reducing the many changes of level and improves the coherence of a previously ad-hoc layout of buildings.

All areas now open off a central spine and in turn many external doors open to the courtyards at various levels and aspects, turning an inward complex of dark stores into a light and airy range of offices that relate to the site. The new reception building floats over the car park at the first major change of level and creates a new entrance for the complex. The front extensions are linked with a raised timber walkway canopied with a free form fabric roof.

Sustainable design was an underlying principle of this project. This includes the use of untreated larch for the external boarding, masts and walkway structure; natural canvas for the fabric roof; FSC timber frame structure for the building (from forests independently certified as being responsibly managed to the highest environmental standards) with recycled paper insulation; solvent free paints and stains and a sedum planted green roof.

This roof also provides a damp mass to reduce the cooling load of a lightweight building and the walkway canopy provides solar shading to the front elevation glazing. Throughout the building, there is evidence that opportunities have been taken to maximise natural lighting to create a light and airy quality to the internal spaces.