The Pavilion Eco House

This has become a manifesto project, proving that eco can be sexy, even in the most constrained locations.

The Pavilion is a zero carbon family home located adjacent to Grade II* listed ‘The Pagoda’ in Blackheath, London. The house is a split-level courtyard four bedroom home, with open plan living and two further reception rooms. The design places the house at the centre of the site, creating different garden rooms that relate to the interior.

The architecture is revealed to the visitor as they move around and through the building; the interiors are flooded with natural light and enveloped by views of the gardens and surrounding trees.

With a brief to make the most energy efficient and contemporary house on a site that is overshadowed for half the day by large trees with root protection zones on all sides in a conservation area of south London, in every way this project was a challenge from the start.

The project involved an expert team of consultants to ensure that the proposal gained planning permission. The building has minimum impact on the existing conservation area and the setting of the listed building despite having been built in its grounds. The application won the support of English Heritage, The Georgian Group and the local amenity group The Blackheath Society, before being granted planning at appeal.

This net zero-carbon contemporary home includes sustainable features such as passive, solar and ventilation design, an earth sheltered lower ground, green roofs, as well as an array of low to zero carbon technologies.

All of these contribute to this being one of only a few bespoke houses to achieve Level 5 on the Code for Sustainable Homes in the UK.

The Pavilion won the Sunday Times British Home Awards 2017, was shortlisted in BD online’s Architect of the Year Awards 2016, won the Evening Standard New Homes Eco Living Award in 2015 and was voted The UK’s Top Eco Home in The Guardian online 2014.