Client Name

McNeill

Location

Tunbridge Wells

Usage

Garden Office

Specification

External Dimensions: 11.6m by 5.3m
Internal Space: 42m2

Comments

Again, we are delighted with the finished building and will be sure to tell our friends! Thank you.

Summary

Working remotely from home is an increasingly common but there is something quite visionary about this project, as the images reflect. Here were two professionals whose capacity to work from home was reliant on more than a desk and internet connection. They needed bespoke functional areas appropriate for a large yoga class plus a separate therapy room in which to practise osteopathy. Clearly design and adequate real estate on which to build was fundamental to the success of their vision.

Details

Our designer surveyed this potential site before any firm decisions was made regarding the property purchase, such was the importance of establishing what was feasible within the garden space available. The freedom to design a bespoke structure allowed us to adapt the shape of the building to the area. It was a collaborative process with the final iteration included a therapy room, a reception with cloakroom and a spacious yoga studio with storage room. Given the topography of the garden it was a tight fit but our build team are well versed in complex construction within challenging confines. Arguably the most striking feature of this design is the external render. We use a polymer render that comes in a number of RAL coded colours (i.e. the colour is the render, it is not achieved from a top coat of paint). Thus we provide our clients with the colour chart and they chose. For the internal walls, our clients chose and purchased their own paints which we applied. (As standard we would finish walls and ceilings in a matt white). This studio is clad with western red cedar, with which we also built a matching side gate, as seen in one of the images. This cedar is an incredibly robust FSC wood grown in the cooler climes of Canada giving a fine, almost knot-free grain. The wood can be oiled annually to retain the depth of colour or left to silver. All the window and door frames are of powder coated aluminium with bi folding doors across the front of the yoga studio that can be swept back to create an amazing airy open space. When budget allows the existing decking may well be extended for outdoor yoga sessions. The windows of the osteopathy suite have integral blinds. These come in various colours and sit within the hermetically sealed argon filled glazing, operated by powerful rotating magnets. They afford complete privacy without blocking all the light and never need cleaning! To maximise space for a reception area, the toilet was designed with a sliding 'pocket door' that effectively disappears into the supporting wall. Crucially this is achieved without loss of soundproofing. The flooring throughout is engineered oak; relatively soft and warm under foot, aesthetically unrivaled and incredible hard wearing. In regard to electrics: 21 internal and 10 external dimmable LED down lights were installed, 13 double power sockets plus Wi-Fi and the wiring of (supplied) speakers. This finished building seems to exude individualism and tranquility, a haven for many, over the coming years.