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At Lutwyche Road, architects Studio Bam! have built a new house adjacent to an end-of-terrace Victorian home. This innovative, timber-framed structure occupies the side alleyway before flaring out into the back garden. Designed to make maximum use of limited space – and a limited budget - the house also fully exploits...

If you’re a fan of TV homebuilding shows then you’ve probably seen the VELFAC system being installed in some of the UK’s more interesting self-build projects. A firm favourite with architects across the country, VELFAC windows and doors are also a popular choice for self-builders and renovators, who like the system’s...

A guide to choosing windows and doors that are good for your home and for the planet. Climate change, the drive for ‘net zero’ carbon*, and the launch of the Future Homes Standard** - these are all reasons to specify building products designed to cause little or no damage to the environment throughout their entire...

Almost a decade in the building, Ten Oaks is undoubtedly an impressive family home. Architects Kirkland Fraser Moor worked with owner Ian Mays (one of the founders and now retired CEO of RES, the world’s largest independent renewable energy company) to create a ‘climate restorative’ zero carbon home with minimal...

The slim-framed VELFAC composite frame delivered the durability and low energy performance together with ‘uniformity in appearance’, achieved by the distinctive VELFAC frame profile which makes every window appear identical whether fixed or opening. Project information Name: Driftwood, West Sussex Sector: Renovation...

With a brief to build an ‘award winning house’, AR Design Studio (AR) has created a strikingly contemporary home, comprising innovative, angular blocks covered in diagonal black larch cladding, and with VELFAC aluminium/timber windows installed on every facade. This elegant, minimalist home delivers ultra-flexible...

This beautiful, contemporary family home features generous swathes of VELFAC triple glazing on every floor, providing far reaching views over the River Stour while also flooding every room with plentiful natural light. Project information Name: Stour house, Suffolk Sector: Bespoke new build home Design & Build: Facit...

An unusual - and super stylish - faceted window screen is the central feature of a beautiful extension to this family home in Kenilworth. ‘The brief was to add more space,’ says Paul Tracey, MD of main contractor Paul Tracey Construction. Project information Sector: Home extension and refurbishment Main contractor:...

Good ventilation can be an afterthought for many self-builders, especially given the current emphasis on insulation, air tightness and low energy performance. Yet fresh air is key to a happy and healthy home. It helps removes irritants such as pollen and dust, and can reduce problems such as condensation or mould...

Facit Homes is an award-winning UK design and build company which creates contemporary, low carbon homes using digital manufacturing techniques, turning 3D digital models into building components which are quickly and efficiently assembled on site. Although every Facit Home is individually designed, they are all...