lagoon house

Backwater a new detached home designed by Platform 5 Architects replaces an outdated bungalow on a secluded lagoon in the Norfolk broads, providing practice director, Patrick Michell with a family home. Designing a new building for the plot provided the opportunity to enhance the setting by establishing a stylish counterpoint to more traditionally designed neighbouring houses, while respecting the peaceful location. A key objective was to create simple, contemporary living spaces at the centre of the house that are orientated to benefit from the views of the surroundings.

The house is arranged as three low rise bays, whose pitched roofs echo the working boat sheds typically found on the Broads. The double height vaulted living space faces onto woodland and a network of drainage dykes that teem with wildlife whilst the central bay offers panoramic views across the private lagoon.

The three bays of the house splay out in a way that the waterfront elevation becomes the most hierarchical point of the house. Deep eaves emphasise the house’s bold silhouette and provide sheltered external living spaces that are usable across the seasons.

Inside, allows for flexible living and accommodates family life by allowing different activities to take place simultaneously through the use of timber sliding doors. Each space has a carefully designed layout with built in furniture to set the scene for family life. A considered material pallet is used throughout these spaces, where a range of colours and textures respond to each room’s programme and create a cosy but varying atmosphere.