Project: The Pooley House

The site in Sandy Point on Hayling Island, backs onto a shallow tidal lagoon with magnificent views eastwards across Chichester harbour.

Our concept begins with the desire to exploit first floor living to exploit the extensive sea views, with a cedar-clad ‘box’ that straddles a masonry base and is orientated towards the sea. This containing an open-plan living space that combines with outdoor decks to enjoy the views and catch the sun at all times of the day.

The ground floor, a rendered masonry construction, accommodates bedrooms and bathrooms as well as wet room/ dinghy store to accommodate the client’s passion for water sports.

PROJECT DETAILS

The clients are keen windsurfers and the house is designed for weekend breaks from London to indulge in their passion. Located on the shore with fabulous views eastwards across to Chichester Harbour, the fairly narrow and constrained site sits in a run of jaunty seaside houses which hint at the Art Deco style and form part of the Chichester Harbour AONB.

JPA worked closely with Chichester harbour Conservancy and the Environment Agency to achieve a robust modern design that fully responds to its sensitive coastal location.

The house sits on a raised brick plinth to deal with the 1 in100 year predicted flood risk, which also contains a basement for storage of windsurf gear. Ground floor accommodation straddles the site and contains shower, bathrooms and bedrooms, with hard floors and robust simple finishes to cope with wetsuit clad users. The upper floor provides a large living space that is directed toward the harbour views.

A staircase slides up the northern flank and is contained within a frameless glazed sleeve, like a lantern. The main living space at first floor space is conceived as a camera obscura, a cedar-lined telescope that pulls in the harbour

while simultaneously projecting the occupant out to the horizon. A terrace to the south provides an outdoor living space and sun deck.

To the road, the house presents a fairly blank facade but offers a hint of what lies within by the use of a large opening to the upper timber box, veiled by a screen of vertical timber slats.

The ground floor is an externally insulated and acrylic rendered construction, while the upper box is steel framed with large cantilevers each end, infilled with studwork and cedar clad.

Winner of an RIBA Regional Award 2012.

Client: Jonathan Pooley + Dawn ReidStatus: Completed 2010Contract value: £455,000.00

Structural Engineer: Ramboll UKContractor: Andy HerridgeProject Manager: Dawn Reid