Earth Sheltered Houses, Great Malvern Conservation Area

DJD Architects achieved planning permission for two earth covered houses on a sensitive site in the Great Malvern Conservation Area. The new houses are proposed within the grounds of an existing Victorian villa.  

A carefully considered design, working with the changes in level and mature trees on the site, was required to create a scheme that provides high quality and attractive new houses, whilst maintaining the setting and amenity of the existing heritage asset.

Constructing the new dwellings into the slope of the ground results in the building having minimal visual impact on the immediate setting, coupled with a comprehensive landscape strategy, the proposals offer an enhancement to the residual historic landscape character.

The new dwellings themselves follow the sweeping line of the sloping bank. Continuation of the sweeping footpath to the south provides access to each of the new dwellings. Each dwelling has an outlook in two directions and glazing is maximised around the living areas, each of which opens onto a sunken private patio area associated with the dwelling. All of the habitable rooms are afforded generous full height windows.