Biophilic Paragraph 80 House in the Forest of the Bowland

A new family home, nestled in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, currently at design review panel under Paragraph 80 of the NPPF. The house is partially buried within the hillside allowing the meadow to grow over and around the house. The walls are formed out of an innovative bio-receptive concrete that will allow organic growth to ensure the house blends with the wild landscape in which it is rooted. The project is aiming to have a bio-diversity net gain of 50%.

This is a unique design proposition that is truly client and site specific. The unique biodiverse and nature inclusive design features create a sustainable model and new vernacular for living in the landscape amid a habitat for animals and plants. The new house will be an energy-plus building through the use of renewable technologies and passivhaus design principles.

The house is being planted and encouraged to ‘grow’ from the site. The landscape is invited to grow around, in and over the new building. The building does not seek to compete with the landscape. It celebrates the existing landscape and allows the inhabitants to gaze at the beautiful surroundings within an environment that blurs the boundaries between the architecture and landscape.

We have worked closely with Michael John McGarr who is a British landscape designer specialising in high-specification, gardens and outdoor living spaces with an ecological focus. With a passion for utilising natural materials and sustainable practices, Michael creates unique and timeless designs that perfectly complement the architecture and surrounding environment. His work can be seen at www.michaeljohnmcgarr.com

The proposal has been through an independent RIBA design review panel and it is considered to meet the test set out in NPPF Paragraph 80e and is of an exceptional quality of design.

If you are about to embark on your own Paragraph 80 journey, please get in touch with us to discuss how we can help.