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Location: Hertfordshire, England
Project size: 2,425 square feet

Program: Henry Fraser—an artist and author whose memoir inspired the musical The Little Big Things—was paralyzed in a sports accident as a teenager. At the time, in 2009, London-based Knox Bhavan adapted his parents’ house pro-bono to suit Fraser’s specific physical needs. Now, five doors down on the same street, the firm has designed a new energy-efficient house that offers Fraser more independence.

Design Solution: The T-shaped plan creates two gardens, oriented to maximize the sun’s seasonal movement and natural light. The large, sloped roof over the first floor takes advantage of this with integrated photovoltaics, and expansive glazing offers views and a direct relationship between inside and outside. A reflective soffit clad in aluminum extends around the building, providing Fraser with essential dry access from vehicle to house. The upper floor, which houses caregiver quarters, steps back and presents an elegant low-profile from the front drive.

Open-plan, double-height living spaces are organized around the turning circle of Fraser’s wheelchair and to facilitate easy interaction with guests, caregivers, and family. The central space connects seamlessly with the front courtyard and rear garden for entertaining. Fraser’s bedroom and bathroom maximize daylight and garden views through floor-to-ceiling glass doors, which can be easily opened for ventilation and access. A serene sky-lit studio, accessed from the front courtyard and linked to the house by a hallway, provides space for painting as well as meeting with commissioning clients.

Photo © Edmund Sumner

Structure and Materials: The house utilizes the second evolution of a prefabricated cassette system co-developed by the practice. This system, customized to the client's brief and context, delivers an energy-efficient, high-quality environment with minimal wastage, fast construction, and good thermal performance. Taking into account Fraser’s preference for a minimal aesthetic, hard and durable finishes, such as a concrete floor and painted joinery, were chosen for interiors. Weathering, self-finished materials are used externally, including larch timber for the elevations and aluminum and zinc on the roof.

Additional Information
Completion date: December 2021
Site size: 0.18 acres
Total construction cost: Withheld
Client/Owner: Henry Fraser

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Photos © Edmund Sumner

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Images courtesy Knox Bhaven; click to enlarge