We’re pleased to have received planning permission for the extension and alteration of Les Bardeaux, a beautiful, contemporary, rural house near Guernsey’s south-coast cliffs.

Our clients, who love the form and material palette of their home, approached us with the goal of introducing new ground- and first-floor living space.

Our modest, carefully conceived proposal extends the property to the west and south. The simple render and sheer glass of the new additions are intended to sit in respectful dialogue with the rich, resonant tones and textures of the existing cedar shingles and tumbled granite cobbles.

The small addition to the west will provide wardrobe accommodation for a ground-floor bedroom. Conceived as a glazed wrap with simple flat roof, it captures space while respectfully retaining and internalising the materiality of the existing facades.

To the south, the first-floor extension adds a new bedroom and study space overlooking the pool and garden. Its form maintains and responds to the bold asymmetry of the existing building. Rectangular in form and with regular surround to all four sides, this addition, in having the appearance of a simple extrusion, builds a strong but deferential aesthetic with the existing building. It also achieves south-facing solar shading for the ground-floor bedrooms, which currently overheat due to solar gain.

An additional element of the project is the installation of a Thermalux outdoor sauna in the garden. We have secured permission for this addition, and designed decking to situate the sauna comfortably in the grounds of the property.

We’re excited to move this project forward to the next phase. Stay tuned for more updates as things progress.