Forrest Road
Lee Griffin
This elegant 1930s Art Deco house in Penarth was in poor condition and needed complete renovation in order to bring it up to modern standards. We undertook a detailed analysis of the physical state of the existing building where a number of issues were discovered. The structure was showing signs of fatigue, hardly surprising for a
building of this age. As well as this the majority of the doors and windows had been replaced with UPVC versions which were totally inappropriate and the thermal insulation levels were inadequate when compared with modern standards.
As a result of these investigations it was then determined that it was not viable to retain the existing house and so it was decided that the best course of action would be to demolish the entire building and rebuild the house to the original design with the more sympathetic extension using modern construction techniques to better withstand the severe levels of exposure that this site will have of endure. The planning application was adjusted to reflect this strategy which was accepted by the planners and approval was granted in May 2019.
There are subtle differences to the design, for example the second floor which was a small staircase and tiny glazed room, often referred to as a solarium in 1930’s houses has been enlarged to enable the master bedroom to be located at roof level utilising the curved language employed elsewhere in the design. The two existing chimneys have been removed as there is no longer a need for them in what will be a very low energy house employing modern design standards. This includes high levels of thermal insulation, large south facing fenestration to benefit from solar heat gain and whole house heat recovery and ventilation systems. Finally the wing to the side of the house is lower and subservient to the original with projecting overhangs carried on a standalone section of wall in deference to the 1934 design.
The house was completed in January 2021.