LABC Regional Recognition for New House at Glanton

LABC Regional Recognition for New House at Glanton

New House at Glanton – LABC Awards Recognition LINK TO PROJECT PAGE

The New House at Glanton has been honoured at the 2024 LABC Awards, receiving Regional Highly Commended in the Best Individual New Home category. This recognition highlights the project’s success in delivering a home of exceptional quality — one that unites architectural ambition, craftsmanship, and technical rigour in a setting of considerable sensitivity.

Designed by MWE Architects LLP and delivered in collaboration with Countylife Homes Ltd, the house draws inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement and the architectural principles of Frank Lloyd Wright. The scheme responds directly to its hillside site on the edge of Glanton, using horizontality and carefully considered massing to embed the building into the landscape. Strong vertical elements, including chimneys and stonework detailing, provide balance and permanence, while the low-pitched slate roofs with generous overhangs reinforce its relationship with the topography.

Rather than replicating historic forms, the design establishes its own identity while respecting the nearby conservation area through the use of locally sourced materials and traditional craftsmanship. The result is a building that feels both contemporary and timeless: a home that is rooted in place, defined by its context, and executed to an exemplary standard.

Why this project stood out

The construction methods combined traditional and modern techniques to achieve efficiency without compromising quality. A highly insulated timber frame system was adopted for the inner leaf, delivering excellent thermal performance and speeding up the build programme. Externally, natural stone sourced from Northumbria and traditional slate roofing were used to ensure the building harmonised with its surroundings, with skilled stonemasons laying the stone to reflect the geological strata of the landscape.

The project exceeded minimum standards through enhanced insulation, airtightness, the installation of an air source heat pump and photovoltaics, and the integration of accessibility features including platform lifts and an inclusive open-plan layout. Sustainability was embedded at every stage, from local sourcing of materials to waste management strategies that embraced the 5 R’s — reduce, reuse, recycle, recover and redesign.

Overcoming challenges

The hillside location presented significant engineering and buildability challenges, requiring a stepped foundation strategy and careful consideration of retaining structures. Close collaboration between the site team, design team, and Northumberland County Council Building Control was essential in resolving these complexities. Building Control’s involvement at both design and construction stages ensured high levels of compliance and quality, while their practical advice on issues such as damp-proofing and guarding design helped refine the final scheme.

Site management was another key success. Given the confined nature of the plot, the build programme was carefully sequenced to minimise overlap between trades, ensuring safety and efficiency. The project benefitted from highly skilled and disciplined craftsmen whose professionalism reinforced a safe and well-managed site.

A collaborative achievement

The Glanton house is the product of a truly collaborative process — guided by a clear client vision, developed by an ambitious design team, and realised through the skill and dedication of the construction team and suppliers. The result is a home that not only meets the client’s aspirations but also sets a benchmark for building excellence in Northumberland.

Project Team

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