A detailed optioneering study was carried out to inform the most carbon-efficient design, whilst meeting the Client and design team’s aspiration for a low-risk procurement and construction.

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Whilst the predominantly engineered timber solution was the clear winner in terms of total embodied carbon within the structure, a steel frame with engineered timber joists and timber internal and external walls was eventually chosen.  This provided a cost-effective and lightweight superstructure with minimal lead time.

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A Vierendeel truss supporting the rear façade facilitates a completely uninterrupted column free living space over the full width of the ground floor.

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The numerous nearby trees and shrinkable soils meant a piled solution was unavoidable; though futureproofing was incorporated into their design to allow for the potential of a future basement structure.