Trewarren House

The site is located on the northern side of Newport Estuary in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park on the west coast of Wales.
A heavy rendered walled enclosure provides shelter from road and north winds contains service rooms and circulation. To the upper level, an open planned living space enjoys fabulous views across the wide estuary and out to sea – all planned beneath an open timber-raftered roof, that tilts up to a clerestory window on the north side. These spaces are fronted by full height, sliding glazed screens that in turn, open onto a timber-decked balcony beneath the oversailing roof.
To the lower level, the staircase opens up into a day room that connects directly with the garden. Uniting both levels is a slate chimneystack-providing fireplace to the living space above and barbeque to the lower level terrace area.
RIBA Award and winner of the Gold Medal for Architecture in Wales in 2013.

The new house is built into the slope of the land, so that the upper floor is entered directly off the road at the eastern end. The entrance opens into a lobby with coat storage and leads directly into a circulation route with staircase, bathrooms and storage off to one side. This accommodation is held within a heavy, insulated masonry walled enclosure that provides shelter from road and cold north winds.

The estuary-facing facade has a concrete frame supporting a balcony that shelters the lower level bedrooms. Above, lies a large open planned living space containing dining and kitchen areas with two bedrooms at the eastern end. These spaces enjoy fabulous views across the estuary and out to sea through the glazed facade sheltering beneath a deep roof overhang to avoid solar gains and the possibility of glare when viewed from across the estuary.

To the lower level a master bedroom suite sits at the western end and two further bedrooms are provided. A day room connects directly with the garden and bathroom, storage and utility occupy the ‘service’ element built into the hillside.

To the roadside the walls are white rendered; a sedum (green) roof sits behind parapets. To the estuary side a timber-framed top storey is expressed with cedar panels between glazing. The main roof is in dark standing-seam zinc that looks like slate from a distance. Uniting both levels is a rendered chimneystack hinting at the Welsh rural vernacular.

Details

Client	Private client
Status	Completed (2012)
Contract value	£975,000
GIA m²	317 m²
Structural engineer	Barton Engineers
Contractor	Carreg Construction
Photography	© James Morris