Can a Water Tower be a House?
KODA Architects Hereford have developed proposals to convert a former water tower in Worcestershire into a new house
KODA Architects in Hereford have been working up proposals to convert a former water tower to a large family home overlooking the Malvern Hills in rural Worcestershire.
The water tower was built during the Edwardian period and occupies a dominant location in the flat surrounding landscape. Tanks once filled with sand and lime filtered the water, making it safe for drinking, before a gravity fed system once supplied water to near by villages.
The site became redundant since the advent of a pressurised water systems across the country and has since laid dormant. In the drawing board, this week, KODA architects have been looking at how this surviving utilitarian structure may be converted to accommodated a new family with expansive views over the Worcestershire Countryside.
KODA architects have explored retaining the mass of the original water filtration tanks and providing a subservient super structure. The aim is to maximise the views out in the first floor whilst retaining as much of the original structure as possible.
Using the mass of the filtration tanks, the lower ground level has a mass which grounds the proposal to its surroundings. On top, a new light weight super structure is proposed with glazing to take full advantage of the surrounding landscape.
Main living areas of sitting room, snug and kitchen are located on the first floor which has an open and light feeling, taking full advantage of the outstanding views over the Worcestershire countryside and to the Malvern Hills. Adding to this contrast, KODA architects have employed light-weight materials to including timber cladding and glass to differentiate between super structure and rusticated lower ground floor. A projecting zinc roof structure, which is under drawn in a rich red cherry cladding, sheltering the large expanses of glazing from the summer sunshine and the surrounding terrace.
At a contrast to the superstructure, the bedrooms, evening sitting room and back of house areas are grounded within the massing and bulk of the filtration tanks and bunded structure. This reflects a change in pace from day to day activities to evening routines and a need for a more confined and soothing environment whilst at night.
To minimise landscape impact, a three bay garage, studio and driveway are sunken into the landscape. The garage structure is topped with a wild flower meadow. To the south a lap pool offers an interesting opportunity for reflections on the waters surfacewhilst you relax on the evening terrace.
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We are enormously proud of this proposal and we are looking forward to seeing the finished article onsite, hopefully very soon.
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