DE WALDEN ROAD

This family home is a self-build property located on the western slopes of the Malvern Hills, within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The house occupies an elevated position within the landscape, benefiting from expansive views across the countryside to the west.

The design was developed as a modern, robust dwelling that could be constructed by the homeowner. The architectural concept is expressed as a simple cedar-clad volume set above a masonry plinth, creating a clear and legible relationship between the lightweight upper form and the grounded base responding to the sloping terrain.

The internal arrangement takes advantage of the site’s topography. Five bedrooms are distributed across the ground and first floors, while the upper level is dedicated to open-plan living spaces. This arrangement allows the principal living areas to capture the long-distance western views, while maintaining a direct relationship with a more private garden space to the east.

Environmental performance formed a key part of the design strategy. The house is heated via a ground source heat pump and incorporates mechanical ventilation alongside high levels of insulation and airtightness to create an efficient and comfortable internal environment.