Project Description
Our clients purchased Island Cottage in 2015, a 200 year old cottage on the south coast of England overlooking Chichester Harbour. The original building had been extended over many years mostly with insensitive and cumbersome extensions and additions.
Our brief was to restore the cottage in part by reinstating the library and guest bedroom/bathroom spaces. We were then challenged by the new owners to resolve the labyrinth of rooms and corridors, and provide a calm and protective series of spaces that make links to the landscape of the coast.
The clients had a strong sense of belonging to the area, as childhood memories of visiting Pagham Harbour have drawn them to live on the South Coast after many years in London. We were keen to help provide them with a home in which to dwell for many years to come.
Our proposals included making sense of the downstairs spaces by allowing a flowing movement between the rooms. Views through and across the house are opened up so to help navigate the maze like spaces. Each room is open on many sides whilst limiting the number of corridor spaces.
The first floor hosts three bedrooms, each of unique style and outlook. The main living space features a corner window, referencing an open book set into the wall at the height of a desk. Log burners, sliding doors, and uncovered historic materials are part of the main reception rooms.
The roof is accessible with a steep stair and allows for informal gathering on a grass terrace which gains views far beyond the immediate gardens and neighbouring nature reserve. The external facades have been uplifted with larch cladding, new timber windows, and a series of timber loggias set into the gardens.