Merging into the landscape

Those who visit Cornwall may see it in terms of wide open beaches, beautiful gardens and summer fun. But Cornwall is so much more than that, a landscape packed with hidden gems and secret escapes. Building homes in this landscape can be a challenge, creating a perfect hideaway which is in sympathy with the surrounding area.

That was certainly the challenge for one property build which we had the privilege of being invited to contribute to. With the Carnon River and Restronguet Creek on one side and the River Fal on the other, Feock is described on the We Are Cornwall website as “a magical oasis in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.” Designing a home which was sympathetic to the area around Feock called for something special, and that was what Seth Stein Architects delivered.

Built by Symons Construction Ltd, the property combines glass, Cornish slate, and western red cedar cladding into ‘a sophisticated, minimalist house optimising the coastal location, views and light.’ That comment from the RIBA website highlighted just why the property won a RIBA South West Award in 2022. The write up also comments that “The siting of the building is such that the massing and volume is largely hidden from the approach, with only a modest pebble roof visible from above.”

That pebble roof was our contribution to the project. The pebble finish was layered on to a built up felt roof system with BMI Icopal tapered insulation. The BMI website comments that “tapered insulation provides a technically excellent solution to thermal insulation and bespoke drainage on flat roofing that avoids water retention.” It also provides a high quality and environmentally friendly solution which can be used on homes as well as larger scale construction projects.

The choice of a BMI insulation solution therefore enabled the property to have good levels of insulation whilst accommodating a pebble overlay which helped the home to merge into the landscape. We weren’t surprised when this property won a RIBA award and are proud that we were able to play our part in delivering such a beautiful building which is so in sympathy with its surroundings.