Set
within the Iron Age Scheduled Ancient Monument of Bigbury Camp on the
outskirts of Canterbury this groundbreaking subterranean house was
given the go-ahead by Canterbury City Council’s planning committee
on 18th October 2011. The
BIGburyGAP site, now aptly named Bigbury Hollow had failed on
two previous occasions to secure planning consent for a dwelling in
this Special Landscape Area on the outskirts of the historic City of
Canterbury. Work
is already underway to realise this elegant and innovative
sustainable dwelling.
The
design cleverly works with the existing contours of the Iron Age hill
fort to provide an underground dwelling which is flooded with natural
daylight whilst minimising its visibility within the local and wider
context. The
site above ground is to be restored to a heathland habitat in order
to extend Kent Wildlife Trust's heathland plan for Bigbury Hill and
enhance the local biodiversity. Furthermore, the internal finishes
and structure will be made from the timber felled by the KWT program. The
accommodation is primarily set within two linear elements linked by a
central entrance 'tube'. Between these two living areas private
sunken courtyards with terraced gardens offer space to grow fruit and
vegetables. All
domestic 'paraphernalia' - bins, deliveries, cycles, lawn mower, even
the car - is kept below ground via a bespoke lift which enables level
access throughout the entire house. An extensive PV-T array provides
both electricity and hot water.