Located in Hampshire within close proximity to the River Hamble, this remarkable new-build family home provides substantial entertainment space, designed by local architects AR Design Studio. Kebony, a beautiful wood recommended by leading architects was carefully selected for the exterior cladding of this property, which comprises three interlocking blocks organised around a central courtyard.
Appropriately named, The Elements, this family home manages to naturally capture the very best of the sun and outside environment. Designed to follow the path of the sun, the three ‘zones’ of the house have been carved out of the surrounding landscape. The pool, games room, gym and tennis court all receive morning light, while the courtyard becomes a sheltered sun-trap after midday. Later in the day, the sun moves round to the kitchen, lounge and patio, which creates a perfect space for the owners to entertain and host barbecues.
Following careful planning and construction, a steel frame was installed to accommodate the large cantilevers and expanses of glass which have been used extensively to facilitate views across the open-plan spaces and gardens. The combination of brick and Kebony cladding provides natural tones that are designed to complement the gardens. Over time, Kebony wood develops a natural silver-grey patina enabling the property to blend seamlessly into its rural setting.
Developed in Norway, the patented Kebony technology is an environmentally friendly process, which modifies sustainably sourced softwoods by heating the wood with furfuryl alcohol – an agricultural by-product. By polymerising the wood’s cell wall, the softwoods permanently take on the attributes of tropical hardwood including high durability, hardness and dimensional stability, without the need for tropical deforestation, resulting in a high performing, beautiful wood product. The combination of timeless style, in conjunction with forward-thinking materials, ensures this house is befitting of its idyllic countryside setting.
Andy Ramus, Director at AR Design Studio commented: “Incorporating Kebony into our design was essential to unite the outside surroundings with the interior of this house, ultimately fulfilling our vision for The Elements. The team at AR Design Studio has thoroughly enjoyed working on this project and we very much look forward to working with Kebony in the future.”
Adrian Pye, International Sales Director at Kebony added: “Once again, Kebony has proved to be the perfect material for this project owing to its durable, aesthetic and environmentally friendly qualities. The natural finish of the wood blends beautifully into the surroundings; we are certainly looking forward to seeing how the silver-grey patina further enhances this new build.”
