Completed in 2022, this project started with a small 200 year old cottage. The old cottage measured approx. 70 square metres. Harrison Architects were employed to provide full services including concept design, planning, detailed design, and building regulations, construction detailing and contract administration.

The site located in North Norfolk area of outstanding natural beauty, and the historic heart of Stiff Key, a Norfolk village, presenting a number of planning and design challenges. The site had a slope from the East boundary, the village road, down almost a whole storey, to the West boundary, a tidal stream. The adjacent houses in the village located on the road, were all small scale. The road was used by alot of tourist traffic, generating alot of noise. By comparison the outlook to the west, had amazing views of open countryside, with no overlooking. 

A concept placing a harder more enclosed solid elevation on the road with open glazed facades facing the stream and courtside was the 1st key step. A study of satellite images reveal the villages urban grain included a mix of houses parallel and perpendicular to the road and river creating 3 sided open courtyards, private spaces within the tightly compacted village. This lead the design towards creating our own courtyard through a combination of old and new building elements. 

The old cottage had extremely low ceilings. Removal of the 1st floor in the old cottage was agreed with the client to create a dramatic double height volume for the entrance and kitchen as the centre of the new house flanked by the new roadside and riverside extensions. Open flowing spaces connecting the spaces on the ground floor. The cottage was entirely rebuild, with new old trusses, thermal linings. The new build extensions crafted in traditional materials including flint walls but combined with openings to create a modern architecture. 

The house was beautifully built by CB Builders Limited, Damian Pask leading his team.