Big Invisible House on the Isle of Wight

Big Invisible House, Isle of Wight Property England, Architecture Design Images

Big Invisible House, Isle of Wight

Coastal Residential Development in southern England design by Lincon Miles Architecture

15 Oct 2015

Big Invisible House on the Isle of Wight, UK

Design: Lincon Miles Architecture

Location: Isle of Wight, UK

A traditional Isle of Wight style 1950s house refurbished to be brought into the and reflect the natural surroundings

A refurbished high spec design with floor to ceiling windows offering views over the sea and a terrace swimming pool

Use of ecological design, engineering and architecture, to bring the house into the 21st century

Big Invisible House by Lincon Miles Architecture

A stunning family home was recently completed on the south coast of the Isle of Wight as part of Channel 4’s programme ‘Grand Designs’, designed by architect Lincoln Miles. After a near-death experience, Bram and Lisa Vis decided to take life by the horns and build a unique large family home for themselves, family and friends.

With floor to ceiling windows looking out to sea and features including a snug, a games room and roof terrace with a swimming pool, the family home is the epitome of the best-of-the-best. Having been inspired by nature, international modernism and the open plan simplicity of the Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe, the new build is clad with Kebony wood which brings to the Grand Design the camouflage, beauty and quality which was so desired. Having started the project in March 2013, the new family home is now complete.

Isle of Wight property design by Lincon Miles Architecture

The Isle of Wight is renowned for its 1950s conservative style of housing, everything that this Grand Design was not planned to be. Therefore, the 9,000 sq ft home was renovated to blend seamlessly with the ancient woodland and beaches which surrounded the property. Innovative, modern and striking cladding was therefore an important aspect of the design.

Big Invisible House Isle of Wight

To reflect the natural surroundings of the trees and skyline large panes of glass were used. Pebble dashing, sourced from a local beach, was used on the lower walls to give the house a more natural look and feel. Black stacked-paper cladding was also used to create a shadow-effect around the build.

Finally, Kebony wood was used in order to further emphasise the natural and organic aspects of the design. For this particular project, Kebony beams of maple and pine wood are cooked with alcohol and pressure, turning their soft wood properties into a hard wood. The result is a beautiful and maintenance-free finish. Overall, the innovative cladding breaks up the house against the natural setting.

Isle of Wight home design by Lincon Miles Architecture

Developed in Norway, the Kebony technology is an environmentally friendly process, which enhances the properties of sustainable softwood species, such as clear and character grade pines, with a bio-based liquid. The process permanently modifies the wood cell walls giving Kebony premium hardwood characteristics which make it suitable for interior and exterior applications.

Lincoln Miles commented: “This has been an incredible project to work on; the whole process was a journey that closely involved the owners. We took our time deciding on which products we wanted to use, that would be sustainable and durable. We chose Kebony for the nature look and the fact that it is so maintenance free. I look forward to working again with Kebony as an architect and specifier in the future.”

Adrian Pye commented “This house blends beautifully with its surroundings, and works extremely well with the other materials used. Kebony wood helps projects like these to achieve their desired look without compromising on environmental credentials. We hope it is a home that is enjoyed for many years to come.”

Big Invisible House Isle of Wight

Big Invisible House on the Isle of Wight images / information received 151015 from Lincon Miles Architecture

Location: Isle of Wight, southern England, UK

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