Inspiring Brick Home Design | Headlands Home

Headlands Home, UK

This striking, low-energy house in South Hertfordshire cannot fail to impress with its environmental credentials and unique design.

Structural Engineers: David Dexter and Associates
Environmental Engineers: Ove Arup and Partners

The unusual building design evolved from a unique response to the family's needs including maximizing views across the valley, encouraging natural light and the need for privacy and quietness.

The design also sought to embrace the traditional approach of placing the fire place as the social and communal hub of the home.

The unique "plastic" form of the house was made possible by the use of hand made bricks. Taking advantage of a skilled local workforce, specialist brick craftsmen enabled the architect to resolve complex forms not possible or cost prohibitive with other types of construction.

The subtlety of colour and texture of the hand made bricks gave the contemporary building a feeling of maturity and a more mellow appearance helping it blend in with the surrounding architecture.

The house construction is of high thermal mass, the red clay brick and roof tiles cladding a super-insulated "hybrid" timber structure of both green and dry English oak and larch.

Low energy solutions include passive solar design and ground source heat exchange system for heating, as well as wood burning fires and back-up under floor heating.

A green roof and a future grey water recycling system complete this home's ecological credentials.

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