Project
Name
Caring Wood
Product
Used
Keymer County Peg Antique
Caring Wood is an extensive country home
project set in 84 acres of scenic Kentish countryside, with the space for three
generations of the same family, incorporating formal, communal and private
spaces. For this ambitious project which infuses the spirit of its local
identity the architects chose the Keymer County Peg Antique, a roof tile
crafted using traditional handmade techniques and rich Wealdon Clay to make a
durable, versatile product with a unique warmth and texture. The project was
recently revealed as the winner of 2017 RIBA House of the Year in an episode of
Channel 4’s Grand Designs: House of the Year presented by Kevin McCloud.
The architects faced a challenging brief: to
embody the spirit of the English country house in a design which would embrace
its context and landscape of the kentish countryside, while simultaneously
providing a carbon neutral response to climate change. The designers vision for
the country home ensured that the relationship with the landscape took
precedence, with the central core and four oast towers growing from the
contours of the hill. The language of the oast was manipulated to provide a
contemporary environmental response which manifests itself into a sculptural
roof form. The aesthetic ambitions, practical needs and sustainable principles
of the project dictated the choice of every fundamental material, including for
the roof.
For a roofing design that involved a complex
combination of shapes and angles, a durable and adaptable roof tile product was
needed. After comparing many other brands, the designers chose Keymer, which as
one of the UK’s oldest roofing brands have been handcrafting roof tiles since
1588. They chose the Keymer County Peg
Antique for the project for two reasons: Firstly, the
design of the tile, with its versatile fixing method, makes handling and laying
a simple and easy process for contractors. Secondly, it’s natural
aesthetic is imbued with a distinctive finish and
warmth of colour that is perfect for regional style of the country home.
Testimonials
“To be involved in a project like this is a
unique, once in a lifetime opportunity. It is very unusual, but we had and
still have a great relationship with the architects. One of our strengths at
Keymer is project management, it’s what we do very well. Having one reliable
main contact was really important. It’s one of the reasons we got to work on a
project like this.”
Christine Leadbeater, Business Development
Manager for Keymer
