Our La Fosse Cottage project has been selected as the winner in the Single Residential Renovation/Extension category of the 2024 Guernsey Design Awards.

It’s fantastic to have our work recognised like this. As in previous years, the quality of entries across all the categories was exceptional – a true testament to Guernsey’s breadth and depth of design talent.

The awards, held every two years, promote distinctive, original, inspirational and sustainable design of the built environment in Guernsey.

Presentation night, which included a fascinating presentation by world-renowned architect Larry Malcic, was great fun, with lots of familiar faces and a healthy dose of good-hearted rivalry!

Chartered Architect Oliver Westgarth accepted the award, along with Senior Chartered Technologist Ben Hewlett.

Photos: Amelia Brown (L), Chris George (R)

The project involved three main elements: the expansion of a small granite extension, originally added in 1994; a ‘glass box’ with ‘infinity balcony’ hung over the steep hillside (named Engineering Project of the Year at the 2023 Guernsey Property and Construction Awards); and a large, two-storey, hyper-insulated extension cut into the ground to the rear.

Here are the judges’ remarks in full:

The project was playful, engaging and sophisticated while representing an elegant and sympathetic extension of a historic building.

The standard of entries for this category was incredibly high but it is fair to say that this year’s winner gifted the judges with a unique and playful design that deserved its place at the top.

This design has harmoniously fused traditional and modern design, culminating in a unique and often enchanting family home with a magnetic-like ability to pull you in to explore its character deeper. There is no evidence of pretense. Warm, bright spaces, intelligent detailing and the perceptive choice of materials do all of the talking for this project, which is clearly loved and enjoyed by its owners.

The unforced connection with nature further contributed to our enjoyment of this home, along with a sincere appreciation of its tranquil surroundings that further enriched its appeal.

⚫ Explore La Fosse Cottage here.

Photo: Etienne Laine