Two-Family House

Project Info

Set into the cliffs above the beach on the wild North Cornish coast, this seaside domestic retreat provides a gathering place to be shared by two families and their friends.

Combining a carefully detailed CLT structure with a ground-floor ‘plinth’ and façade formed from local stone, this sustainably designed home has been built using strong, low-carbon and durable materials that connect the house to its dramatic coastal landscape.

Internally, the house is designed to maximise the breathtaking Atlantic panoramas. Calibrated and angled to create perfectly framed views of the headland, the ground floor provides a succession of family-oriented living spaces. Central to the plan is a dramatic curved timber staircase and a generous hallway that provides a pivot point at the crank between the two primary wings. The stair is topped by a circular roof lantern which allows daylight deep into the house, whilst also facilitating natural ventilation during the summer months.

Throughout the interiors, a natural material palette of timber, stone and Cornish clay plaster has been employed to create a warm, textured and inviting environment. Externally, a mature tiered garden winds down to the beach, criss-crossed by a network of stone walls and paths. Great care was taken during construction to preserve these features and ensure that the building added a sympathetic new layer to this history, echoing and enhancing the bio-diverse nature of the cliffside site.

Additional credits

CLT Contractor: ConstruktCLT

CLT Engineer: Studio Allen