Lifetime achievement

Replacing a tired 1960s bungalow with a bespoke prefabricated contemporary house allowed retired architect Helen Heslop Brunt and her husband Martin to fulfil a long-held dream

As an architect, Helen Heslop Brunt had worked for many years on various projects for others and, together with her husband Martin, had refurbished several homes, but their dream was always to design and build a home for themselves and their family. "We wanted a house filled with light and positive vibes, with great living spaces, both indoors and out, which Martin and I could still enjoy as we grow older," says Helen.

The couple had almost given up on their self-build dream, due to the lack of available plots, when Martin happened upon a tired and over-extended 1960s bungalow online.

"The hillside site faces due south and enjoys stunning views overlooking the Weald of Kent," he says. "It was exactly what we were looking for, and I had just sold my business so we could afford to go ahead."

HONING THE DESIGN

The couple produced a written brief for the house prior to the design stage. "Site and context were key factors, sobreaking down the building's mass was important, to reduce its overall impact," explains Helen, who designed three linked volumes with open interiors. "The planning process was particularly onerous because it's a village site that people notice, next door to a conservation area." A multipurpose ground-floor games room, with a disabled access shower room, may be used as an accessible bedroom suite if needed. "Upstairs, we wanted a generous master suite for ourselves, as well as three hotel-style en-suite bedrooms for our grown-up children, who had all finished university when we built the house," says Helen.

CHANGE OF DIRECTION