At TJDA we absolutely love designing bespoke waterfront properties, so we were delighted to gain consent for this private new-build residence on the beach in Littlestone, Kent, just a stone’s throw from our award winning ‘Seascape’ development which we designed for luxury developer Sunningdale House.
This time working with a private client, we set out to unlock the full potential of this unique beachfront plot, whilst responding to a challenging brief which called for a cohesive interaction between the internal and external living spaces, and panoramic vistas across the channel.
The exposed coastal position, east-west orientation, and overlooked nature of the beachfront site resulted in a biophilic design response, which creates a series of interlinked internal and external microclimates, enabling occupants to comfortably inhabit different parts of the home at different levels, at different times of the day, throughout the seasons, whilst maintaining a degree of privacy and a strong sense of place.
The form and materiality is a direct response to the location. The sloping roof pitches have a recognisable vernacular feel, and enable the building to sit comfortably within its context. Wrapped in a black timber yakisugi cladding, they are set upon a strong stone plinth clad in knapped flint and sourced from the shingle on which the site sits. Vertical fins provide both articulation and solar control to the large glazed facades to minimise overheating, and the south facing roof pitch accommodates a large bank of integrated PV panels to help minimise the buildings energy requirements.