Shiplap House

The Brief

Design of a three bedroom retirement home with garage space for 6 vintage cars

The Challenge

The site dropped 2m from west to east, but the brief called for no staircases and a wheelchair friendly layout. The house had to accommodate 6 vintage cars and an oversized study cum library. The client also wanted to incorporate shiplap cladding into the aesthetic.

The Result

The garages had to be placed in tandem and access was limited to one double garage door as per estate rules. The 2m drop accommodated the garages perfectly, but a single staircase was unavoidable. In response the access to the front door incorporated a wheelchair ramp. To minimise the impact of the staircase, the majority of the house was placed on the landing with only the study and guest room on first floor.

The southern spaces in this north-facing house were lit up even more with clerestory and dormer windows. Exposed scissor trusses added great volume to all the rooms and introducing a unique aesthetic to the house.

Selected boxes received shiplap cladding contrasted with red face brick to tie in with the local vernacular.

:: Design @ StArch ::