The Halt

The Halt sits within a sensitive Conservation Area on the site of the historic Blean and Tyler Hill Halt which was a stopping point on the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway.

The existing house sits on the site of the old railway crossing keeper’s hut on the edge of a historic pond. Surrounded by 7 acres of mature landscape, with an avenue of Oak trees lining the route of the original railway tracks, the site has a special character with long-distance rural views.

The proposed extension is nestled next to the line of the old railway tracks, reinforcing the historic route. Conceived as two separate pitched gable roof volumes, the extension is carefully proportioned to form a relationship with the existing house. Handmade clay tiles clad both the roof and primary facades, establishing a sense of place by responding to the materiality of the existing house whilst referencing the history of Tyler Hill as a historic medieval centre for pottery and tile industries.

The project provides additional bedrooms, a home office and garage space to respond to the needs of a growing family and to the increased demand for flexible home working. The existing house has been configured and combines with the extension to create defined zones for living, working, and sleeping. The design captures and celebrates long views into the landscape, bringing them into the house and connecting the rhythm of daily life to the surrounding rural context.