The Long House Cockthorpe, Norfolk Property Photos, Hopkins Architects Home, Residence
The Long House, Norfolk – Living Architecture
New Home in Cockthorpe design by Hopkins Architects, England, UK
2 Aug 2011
Architect: Hopkins Architects
The Long House Opening November 2011 Hopkins Architects’ first UK residential project in over 30 years
image courtesy Hopkins Architects and Living Architecture
The Long House in Cockthorpe
In the wake of garnering international plaudits for their Olympic Velodrome building and being awarded ‘Contribution to the Profession’ by the industry, Hopkins Architects will unveil their first domestic building in the UK since The Hopkins House (1976), designed for Living Architecture.
The Long House will be the fourth in the Living Architecture series. A total of five houses are being constructed in the UK for the initial stage of this project; which aims to give the general public the opportunity to experience domestic contemporary architecture at first hand, with the properties being available to rent from a weekend to a seven-day stay.
Having always lived and worked in buildings of their own design, Michael and Patty Hopkins are strong advocates of the Living Architecture mission.
The modern residence will be located in the quiet village of Cockthorpe in Norfolk and takes architectural cues from the local vernacular: “The design is inspired by the classic characteristics of the simple, yet grand scale, flint walled barns and churches of North Norfolk”, say the Hopkins. “We hope to achieve a house that is of its region, in terms of form and materials, demonstrating the best sustainable practice, with an enduring quality that is also, unmistakably, of its own time.”
image courtesy Hopkins Architects and Living Architecture
The defining feature of the house is an imposing and traditionally crafted flint wall, reminiscent of the ancient churches and barns of the area. Elegant Larch timber and steel cable-tied trusses form the pitched roof, visible the length of the house and through the double height central gallery hall. The ground floor is predominately open plan, with gallery hall, sitting room, central fireplace, kitchen and dining room.
From the upper gallery, large windows allow expansive views over the salt marshes and creeks of the North Sea coast. The house sleeps ten, with four en-suite double bedrooms on the upper floor, and a fifth double room in the ground floor annex. The interior finishes are a combination of Ash timber, white stucco walls and tiled floors, with colourful Hopkins’ designed furniture for each of the bedrooms. The result is a grand yet domestic and calm enclosure, situated in the almost prairie-like flats of Norfolk.
The Long House Norfolk – Building Information
PROJECT TEAM
Architect: Hopkins Architects
Contractor: O Seaman & Son Ltd
Structural Engineer: Jane Wernick Associates
Quantity Surveyors: Boyden Group LLP
M & E: ZEF Ltd
Clerk of Works: Steve Foot, Techs Project Management
LIVING ARCHITECTURE PARTNERS AT THE LONG HOUSE
Kitchen appliances provided by Miele UK
Kitchen equipment provided by David Mellor Design
Bed linen by Peter Reed luxury linen
The Long House in Norfolk
Architect: Hopkins Architects
Location: Cockthorpe in Norfolk
A house singularly responsive to local materials and vernacular forms and inspired by the best lessons of Modernism.
“People find modern spaces very exciting and I thought what could be better for a holiday house than an exciting space?” – Patty Hopkins.
The Long House
image from Living Architecture
On the edge of the quiet village of Cockthorpe in Norfolk, lies this contemporary property, created by two of the great modernists of British architecture, Sir Michael and Lady Patty Hopkins. They describe their creation thus: “The design of the Long House is inspired by the classic characteristics of the simple, yet grand scale, flint walled barns and churches of North Norfolk. We hope to achieve a house that is of its region, in terms of form and materials, built to the best sustainable practice, with an enduring quality that is also, unmistakably, of its own time.”
The residence gives out onto the flat, almost prairie-like expanses of the Norfolk landscape. From the upper level there are generous views over the saltmarshes and creeks of the North Sea coast. The house is distinctive for its massive and traditionally crafted flint wall, which references the ancient churches and barns of the area. A great medieval-style hall runs right through the middle of the house, which is capped with a vast timber roof, reinforced with steel cabling and trusses.
A two-way fireplace in the living area allows one to see through to the adjoining room. Michael and Patty Hopkins identified closely with the project’s aspiration: to enable the public to experience ‘living, eating and sleeping’ in a modern, thoughtfully designed environment, as opposed to the transient activity of passing through exciting new airports or visiting a sleek museum. Having always lived and worked in buildings of their own design, they are strong advocates of the experience.
Project Team
– Architect: Hopkins Architects
– Contractor: O Seaman & Son Ltd
– Structural Engineer: Jane Wernick Associates
– Quantity Surveyors: Boyden Group LLP
– M&E: ZEF Ltd
– Clerk of Works: Steve Foot, Techs Project Management
Living Architecture Partners in this Norfolk Home
– Kitchen appliances provided by Miele UK
– Kitchen equipment provided by David Mellor Design
– Bed linen by Peter Reed luxury linen
Hopkins Architects
Hopkins Architects have been at the forefront of British architecture since the practice was established in 1976. Their track record for delivering buildings of the highest architectural excellence, combining innovative design, craft, and environmental responsibility, has been the key to their continuing success. Their work has been widely acclaimed by both architects and the public alike and their projects have won most major architectural awards. Apart from their large portfolio of projects in the UK, in recent years their international work has increased with projects in Greece, Japan, Dubai, India and the USA. The firm works from a self-designed campus in Marylebone, London.
Michael Hopkins of Hopkins Architects
Living Architecture Homes
Living Architecture has commissioned other houses by Peter Zumthor, NORD, MVRDV and Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects.
Secular Retreat – house design for Living Architecture by Peter Zumthor
image from Living Architecture
Dune House – house design for Living Architecture by JVA:
image from Living Architecture
Shingle House – house design for Living Architecture by NORD:
image from Living Architecture
Balancing Barn – house design for Living Architecture by MVRDV:
photo : Edmund Sumner
Living Architecture Houses
– The Balancing Barn, MVRDV (the Netherlands) in Thorington, Suffolk. Due to complete October 2010
– The Shingle House, Nord Architecture (UK) in Dungeness, Kent. Due to complete November 2010
– The Dune House, Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects (Norway) in Thorpeness, Suffolk. Due to complete end of 2010
– The Long House, Hopkins Architects (UK) in Cockthorpe, Norfolk. Due to complete Spring 2011
– A Secular Retreat, Peter Zumthor (Switzerland) in South Devon. Due to complete Winter 2011
Living Architecture Houses – information + images
Location: Cockthorpe, Norfolk, England, UK
English Architecture
Contemporary Architecture in England
English Houses – Selection
Underhill House, Cotswolds, west England
Seymour-Smith Architects
image from the architect
Underhill House
Black House, Cambridgeshire
Mole Architects
photo : John Donat
Black House
Living Architecture
Living Architecture has asked a series of established and emerging world-class architects to build houses around the UK. The houses will be available to rent for holidays by the general public.
The inspiration for Living Architecture came from a desire for people to be able to experience what it is like to live, eat and sleep in a space designed by an outstanding architectural practice. Whilst there are examples of great modern buildings in Britain, they tend to be in places that one passes through (eg. airports, museums, offices), and the few modern houses that exist are almost all in private hands and cannot be visited. Living Architecture will start to open its houses for holiday rentals in the spring of 2010. Further information can be found at www.living-architecture.co.uk.
The Living Architecture team comprises of chairman, Dickon Robinson, director, Mark Robinson and executive architect, Meredith Bowles (Mole Architects). The advisory team are Stuart Lipton, property developer, ex chairman CABE; Tom Bloxham, chairman of Urban Splash; Ambassador Alexis Lautenberg, Swiss ambassador to the UK; Michael Morris, co-director of Artangel; Alain de Botton, writer and architectural critic and Peter Rogers, director of Stanhope.
English Houses
Contemporary English Houses – Selection:
Comments / photos for The Long House England Architecture design by Hopkins Architects page welcome
