Hill Top Road

POST 1920s: Hill Top Road

Client	Cecilia Twinch
Address	7 Hill Top Road
Address	Oxford
Time scale	1998-9
Budget	£35K

Finalist Downland Prize 1999 Something had to be done after four years in cramped conditions. The solution was a pavilion-type structure which would be light and airy. It is set in and sets off the garden.

Click small pictures above for larger views



The concept is minimal rather than minimalist. The result is a space that can absorb the comings and goings of family life, celebration and contemplation. The style? A modern vernacular using sustainable and energy-efficient materials with minimum waste, and appropriate technology to maximise light and space. 2007: The concept has inspired many other extensions around Oxford - each different according to clients and locale. The building has weathered well. Natural pigmented lime plastered walls & terracotta tiles internally remain resilient .		Underfloor heating (Wirsbo now trading as Uponor) has performed better than hoped without trouble or maintenance. Recent additions to the property are solar panels, which have proved cost effective and trouble free for the past 2 years. The walls of the existing house have been cavity filled with impregnated fibre glass wool - cheap, quick and very effective if you have a 50mm + cavity to fill. The house has been further extended by building a low impact timber summerhouse at the end of the garden that mirrors the form of the kitchen.