The Bee Garden Lymington

The original building was a small-scale, traditionally thatched dwelling, built around 1926, which had a typical floor plan, with successive extensions. The new design presents a similar face to the street scene; it maintains the traditional thatch roof, design scale and proportions to the existing cottage.
The new house contributes to and enhances the site while making a positive contribution to the wider character of the area. The curved rear range maximises passive solar design opportunities through its southerly orientation, positioning and exposure to the sun path.
The design is a modern response to the site context. The designs of the houses in the surrounding area were extremely mixed so it was considered that the design of the new house could be singular without upsetting the street scene and general landscape of the neighbouring area.
The palette of materials used was deliberately restrained in response to the domination of the site by the mature trees and conservation constraints.
Natural materials and muted tones link the thatch roof, IPE cladding, zinc roof link, minimal windows and natural stone paving through to the landscaping of the garden and its setting in the heart of the New Forest.