For ten years, our client had unsuccessfully attempted to gain consent to build a family home on the site of a former tin mine on the north Cornwall coast.
The exposed heathland plot contained the last remnants of a tin mine estate and formed part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site.
We were approached to re-assess the brief and develop an approach which protected the site’s heritage and delivered a 5-bedroom family home.
Understanding the complex limitations of the site required an 18-month process of collaboration with UNESCO and Cornwall Conservation and Planning departments.
Through rigorous research, we developed a coherent design strategy to restore and enhance the original mining structures and introduce contemporary elements without detracting from the site or wider landscape.
Removing unsympathetic alterations to the 17th century structures – including uPVC windows and concrete rendered local stone – we re-set the plan and reinstated slate rooflines.
The original Count House retains its prominence as the primary living space, with the former forge offering a series of quieter areas.
A lightweight loggia links the two heritage structures and leads to a new accommodation block embedded in the landscape to the rear.
Addressing the exposed location, we created a series of sheltered external spaces to be enjoyed throughout the year, as well as open terraces with incredible views along the coastline.
The previous treatment of the house and garden was progressively eroding the site’s historical significance, with a domesticity that neglected its mining heritage.
By actively embracing the site’s history, topography and natural landscape of scrub and heathland, we have created new purpose for the former industrial relics and established an innovative hidden home appropriate for its World Heritage Site setting.