Driftwood

Driftwood occupies an elevated site to the west of Salcombe with stunning panoramic views of the coast and North Sands to the south which sweep west to include the rolling inland hills so typical of the South Hams.

Gillespie Yunnie Architects have designed a 5 bedroom house over 3 storeys, centred on the footprint of the original house. The lower storey has been partially let into the hillside such that the dwelling appears to be only two storeys in height from the street. The design forms a distinctive dwelling which, through careful massing and a sensitive palette of materials, respects the site’s location and landscape character.

The house has been carefully designed to ensure energy efficiency and a small carbon footprint in-use to offer excellent internal comfort for the owners. Heating demands are minimised through high insulation levels and the air tightness of the envelope. South elevations are predominantly glazed (to maximise the owner’s enjoyment of the stunning views) but solar gains are controlled with deep overhangs and high-level louvres. As a result, the facades are shaded from strong, high level sun during the summer months while lower level winter sun is allowed to penetrate deep into the building when solar gains are more welcome. The remaining elevations are well insulated with smaller areas of glazing to reduce heat loss. An extensive array of photovoltaic panels have been installed to the inner roof slopes to further enhance the building’s green credentials.

Contractor: Lilburn