Queen Anne House

A ‘Super Prime’ new residence in the Queen Anne style with accommodation over four floors also including a basement swimming pool leisure complex, under-croft garaging and a lift.

(Updated photos coming  summer 2022)

The Challenge

Janes Architectural was approached with regard to designing and obtaining planning consent for a substantial replacement dwelling located within a local Conservation Area. The client had recently acquired the site that already housed a large Queen Anne style property constructed in the 1920’s. The initial idea was to renovate and substantially extend the existing property as it was thought that it would not be possible to take the original house down. However the requirements for the new accommodation were such that it was proving both uneconomic and with a compromised layout and appearance to alter the existing property. Janes Architectural suggested that it maybe possible to replace the current house if the design of proposed property was such that it would outweigh the loss of the existing house.

The client had a detailed brief for the new house, which included large reception room sizes, a central feature staircase, a large kitchen-dining-living space, at least five bedrooms with En Suite Bathrooms and dressing rooms. Leisure spaces were also required to include Gymnasium, sauna–steam rooms and a 25 meter long swimming pool! In addition garaging for four cars, a large in-wall Marine Aquarium and passenger lift were to be included.

Janes Architectural worked closely with the City’s Conservation Officer to establish the principle of replacing the current house, the proposal being to construct a Queen Anne style property of perfect proportions and using high quality materials. This was to be along similar lines to the pair of Grade II Listed ‘Bateman & Bateman’ Queen Anne houses originally constructed on the same Estate shortly after it was set out in 1899.

The house was proposed to be both symmetrical and rectangular in form with a two-storey facade to the front. We would make use of the gently sloping site by providing a part-basement below the rear two thirds of the floor plan to house the swimming pool and leisure facilities which would benefit from rear facing glazing and plenty natural light. The garaging would also be set at sub-floor level, part hidden to the side of the property, and with the roof doubling up as a raised terrace for the ground floor reception rooms. The second floor was designed to be completely within the roof void, which presents as plain tiled and pitched to all sides, but with a concealed flat roof housing several roof lights and a photovoltaic solar array.

Every effort was made to ensure that the proportions of the façade and fenestration followed the ‘Golden Ratio’, a naturally occurring sequence of numbers that can be found repeating everywhere in nature, and providing the perfect architectural rectangular proportion. Brickwork was laid in ‘Flemish bond’ throughout and detailed down to the last ‘queen closure’. For the principle entrance, a 7m high limestone portico was designed extending up to first floor level and incorporating a full height first floor window serving a library area off the landing, the portico is capped with a curved pediment, and is intended to provide a striking entrance feature.

Accommodation

Internally the reception rooms are set around a large entrance hall with a central stone-clad staircase leading to the first floor, and with a second floor galleried landing above providing a light and lofty three story high atrium with lantern roof light above. All four storeys are accessed by a winding secondary staircase and adjoining passenger lift, providing easy access to all levels.

The basement houses a 17 m swimming pool with overflow spa pool and separate steam and sauna room, the pool hall has expansive glazing providing natural light and outlooks towards the rear grounds. Additional basement spaces include a Changing room, gymnasium and associated plant rooms. On the ground floor the spacious primary reception rooms face from East to West to benefit from the natural light, and all with access to external terraces and the grounds. The secondary rooms and utility / service spaces are on the opposing North facing sides.

A particular feature of the interconnecting kitchen – dining – living space is an in-wall marine aquarium located opposite the central dining area! The First floor houses the master suite and three further En Suite bedrooms and laundry room, in addition the landing extends into a sitting / library area. On the second floor, and within the roof there are two further bedrooms with bathroom and a large open plan room providing a flexible space large enough to house a private apartment, for the time being it makes for a great games room!