SYLVANIA

KAST Architects

Located at the head of Pill Creek on the edge of the village of Feock, Sylvania is a new build 224m2 five bedroom family home.


The design of Sylvania challenges the preconceptions of what a house should look like and delivers a striking and dramatic cantilevered structure high in the canopy of the trees. The building has been designed as two distinct elements, with the upper level housing the main living accommodation being set at 90 degrees to the lower level sleeping accommodation.


The main entrance to the house is at the upper level, which given the topography of the site is set at the same level as Pill Lane. The position of the building on the plot has been carefully selected to balance site topography, views and privacy. Care has also been taken to locate the building outside of the tree root protection zone of a line of poplar trees to the west, and a Japanese Maple to the east.


The building’s character is sympathetic to the location and the dwellings within immediate view, with materials selected to work in harmony with the sylvan setting. The lower storey is clad in Trebarwith stone to provide a solid base onto which the larch clad first storey is placed. Both materials are recessive in the landscape, helping the building to blend in with its location. This and the screening provided by the mature trees on the site all help the building to have a limited impact on the surrounding area.