Twin contemporary engineered timber framed beach houses, located at Camber Sands, East Sussex. Situated next to the county’s only sand dunes, a Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI) the stunning beach houses offer spectacular views of the sea and unparalleled access to the beach. Stuart Martin of WAM set out to minimise the houses’ impact on the environment, both visually and physically. This informed the design and choice of natural materials throughout; many recyclable low-carbon and sustainable materials were used for this project. The house design required both flood resilience and resistance to the often, hostile marine location whilst sitting comfortably alongside existing neighbouring beach houses and the natural backdrop of the changing landscape of the sand dunes and sea.
Muscular exposed laminated timber beams span between perimeter insulated concrete formwork (IFC) walls, the interior is clad with finished ply panels. Externally gutters are omitted, ridge and eaves details carefully designed to highlight a seamless Kebony timber board wrap to both houses. The houses have 200mm of natural sheep’s wool insulation and are heated via a ground source heat pump imbuing its occupants with a great sense of wellbeing and harmony to the surrounding nature.
The building has won numerous awards including the RICS Residential Design Award 2017, East Sussex Heritage Trust Award 2016 and the Surface Design Sustainable award 2016 and was featured on the Channel 4 programme George Clarkes Amazing Spaces.