Julian Bicknell Associates - Architecture of Fine Quality

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FOREST OF BERE HOUSE, HAMPSHIRE

This new house high on the chalk downlands of Hampshire is the centre of a farming estate that has been cultivated since Roman times. Where the earlier houses were sited in the floor of the valley near the deep well that still survives, the new house is sited higher on the North side of the valley to take advantage of the spectacular views to South and West. It is faced with a soft red brick, with stone trim and panels of flintwork, and a red clay-tiled roof - all features typical of the locality. The flavour is that of a modest manor house of the early 18th Century.

The accommodation is arranged around a central triple-height stair hall, which also serves for dining and dancing on special occasions. The main reception rooms face south. The family accommodation faces South West and opens onto a densely-planted walled garden with pergolas, pleached fruit trees and two little summer houses. There are four bedrooms suites on the first floor and four further bedrooms in the attic. A tight spiral stair leads to a miniature observatory on the roof with stunning views in all directions. In the basement is a wine cellar and billiard room.

To the North of the house is a sheltered courtyard with garages, a guest/service apartment and a plant room that houses a low energy heating system using a wood-chip boiler, ground source heat pumps and solar heating in combination.

Julian Bicknell & Associates is a London based architectural practice of thirty years standing, specialising in quality buildings, interiors and landscapes - mainly in classical or traditional style. The practice has worked for private clients and developers all over the UK and in Japan, Russia, the USA, Morocco, Germany and Kazakhstan. The work includes spacious country houses, luxury homes on the prestige estates at Wentworth and St. Georges Hill, museums, restaurants, theatres, schools, a golf club and modifications to important historic buildings. The design philosophy combines a deep sympathy for traditional design and building methods, with a full understanding of energy strategies and construction management. The practice works closely with other professionals and experienced craftsmen to achieve low-energy buildings of real quality within predetermined budgets.