Passivhaus, Devon

As one of the most profound, intriguing and ingenious projects we have ever been lucky enough to be involved with, the energy positive, carbon negative, The Walled Garden is a passive house in Devon.

The house is built next to a high wall that is well over two hundred years old and which surrounds what was once the kitchen garden of a classic Georgian country house estate and a strip of land beyond the wall has subsequently been added as a “secret garden”.

It’s a truly spectacular construction, from the building itself, (which is a very contemporary single storey, flat-roofed, four-bedroom house), to the landscaping which incorporates newly planted trees to reflect its partially wooded surroundings and its past life as an orchard.

The internal dimensions of the house are approximately 300 square metres for the main floor and 100 square metres for the basement. The main floor has four bedrooms, with the rest of it being open plan but divided into various zones, while the basement has a large living space plus the plant room and a large storage room.

Whilst being very current and contemporary, the external design of the house compliments its sitting next to the classically built and refurbished old brick wall beautifully.

It has a glass roofed courtyard-style main living space at its centre, and a “virtual path” running right through the house along the line of the former garden path between a gate into the walled garden and the gardener’s cottage on the other side of the house.

The house has been designed and built on Passivhaus principles, utilising air-source heating, a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery system, solar power generation, electric and thermal energy storage, super-insulation, triple-glazing throughout and low energy lighting.

Its layout and orientation are designed to maximise the benefits of natural solar heating. It is energy positive and generates some 40% more power than it consumes. A wonderful addition to all this is that the water supply is sourced from a borehole on the site.

The architects, McLean Quinlan who are very much the architects and designers, not only providing all of the overall architecture for the house itself, but designing all of the interiors, fittings, finishes and lighting etc.

We designed and manufactured the interior and exterior lighting products specified on the project by our friends McClean Quinlan.

This house is an absolute joy to behold and sits beautifully in the landscape, designed with purpose and conviction, and built with one of the very best architectural practices in Europe.

Standard Products Installed: Cockle Uplight, Vizor, Scoop Wall Light, Replicant Round, Cockle Spot, Replicant Double