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HUX SHARD
Paragraph 55 dwelling of outstanding and innovative design
Location
Near Exeter
Disciplines
Paragraph 55 / Paragraph 79 planning application.
Architectural design.
Biodiversity study.
Carbon negativity study.
Ecological study.
Energy generation.
Future learning resource.
Passive ventilation.
Client
Joe Priday
Featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs, Hux Shard is an inspirational building, designed to be carbon negative, concrete free, manufactured offsite, use local materials, be ecological, complement the landscape and be a long term educational asset.
The project is a truly outstanding and innovative design, helping to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas. Reflecting the highest standards in architecture, the project will significantly enhance its immediate setting and be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area.
Squirrel Design and the client have created a dedicated website for this project. It is an amazing resource offering a detailed insight into the planning, design and production of a Paragraph 55 project. Construction began in May 2018. Our website Journal reported on the project as it progressed.
GALLERY
Click any image to zoom (mobile phones may not offer a larger view).
FEATURED ON LOVECARS
THE REALITY
3D CONCEPT VISUAL
Elevations
PROPOSED SOUTH ELEVATION
Based on the final design, the rendering / montage below provides a conceptual view of the southern elevation. The wall panels would be clad externally with zinc, it offers a homogenous finish with crisp corner details.
PROPOSED NORTH ELEVATION
A conceptual view of the northern elevation. Glazing would be triple pane with the supporting framework concealed behind the external cladding to give a frameless feature.
Plan Views
Accurate drawings were produced indicating the position of the rooms, planting scheme, immediate landscaping and the roof layout.
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- Hux Shard Final Design: Ground Floor Plan.
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- Hux Shard Final Design: Roof Plan.
Early Concept
The design team explored fractured wall panels and how they started to form a linear arrangement depicted by the entrance level contour.
Concept Model
The design team needed to fully understand the building. It was agreed to produce a real mockup of the panels which form the overall structure and design statement. We were able to rapidly visualise multiple viewpoints of the building using the ‘actual” 3D scale model.
Inhabiting a Sculpture
In depth concepts were envisioned from an early appreciation of the landscape contour and the proposed building’s crucial relationship with the immediate and distant landscape. Sculptural studies revealed a unique design language that had many practical benefits including building angle and landscape integration, sunlight penetration, planting schemes and energy capture.
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- Sunken Landscape. Previous designs that anticipated a building sunken into the landscape had offset fractured walls to reduce light emission.
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- Fractured Walls. The design team adopted the principle of the offset fractured walls and sloped the sides to enable views out from the building and a connection with the landscape.
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- The design team studied angular sculptural panels and their shadow and light dynamics.
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- Although very contemporary, this sculpture integrates into its surroundings and almost blends into the landscape.
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- Hux Shard Panel Angles. Panels can be angled to permit sunlight penetration or be positioned on an east-west axis for energy capture.
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- Integrated Planting. Variations in the infill alignment allow landscaping and planting to integrate into the building structure.
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- Study design: Landscaping, boundary shielding and overall flora planting.
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- Natural Sunlight & Energy Capture Study. Orientation of the fractured wall panels aligned in relation to room function and sunlight/energy capture, form the footprint of the building.
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- Deep Light Penetration & Temperature Regulation. The clerestory formed by variations in roof panel height allows natural light deep into the building. The angle of the clerestory permits the cooler morning sun to enter and reduces the solar gain from the south.
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- Room Configuration. Positioning of rooms and their interrelationship start to form the shape of the building.
