Walled Garden House

A Sustainable Bespoke Home Rooted in History and Designed for the Future

Set within the grounds of a former Victorian kitchen garden, this bespoke new-build home has been designed to continue the site's remarkable legacy of innovation, self-sufficiency and connection with nature.

The historic walled garden was once a productive landscape that supported the nearby country house, with gardeners using pioneering approaches including rainwater harvesting and glasshouse technology to create a self-sustaining environment.

Allan Joyce Architects developed a design that respects this heritage while creating a highly sustainable contemporary home for modern family living.

Architecture Inspired by the Garden

The design takes inspiration from the original purpose and structure of the walled garden. The single-storey home is partially earth sheltered, allowing it to sit quietly within the landscape while improving thermal performance.

Extensive glazing to the front elevation references the character of traditional glasshouses, creating sunspaces that provide passive solar heating while strengthening the connection between the home and garden.

Slimline steel window frames with an industrial galvanised finish create a lightweight architectural expression, allowing the landscape to remain the dominant feature. The T-shaped plan reflects the traditional geometry of kitchen gardens, creating sheltered courtyards that bring nature into the heart of the home.

Designed Around Connection and Wellbeing

The home has been carefully arranged to maximise daylight, views and connection with the surrounding landscape.

A central entrance lobby leads into a generous circulation space, with glasshouse-inspired sunrooms creating bright transitional areas between inside and outside. A sweeping circular staircase rises to a reading room lantern, bringing natural light into the centre of the home while providing passive ventilation through the building.

The western wing contains the main kitchen, dining and living space, positioned to allow produce grown within the garden to flow directly into the home. Carefully considered planting, including nearby herb gardens, enhances the sensory connection between the architecture and landscape.

The eastern bedroom wing opens onto private courtyards, allowing residents to begin each day with morning sunlight and direct views of the garden. External steps provide access to upper vegetable gardens and orchards, reinforcing the relationship between the home and its productive landscape.

Restoring a Productive Landscape

The wider landscape design restores the character of the original kitchen garden, incorporating food production areas, flower gardens and spaces for outdoor living.

Courtyards within the home reflect the smaller enclosed spaces traditionally found within walled gardens, using planting, shelter and glasshouse elements to create intimate outdoor rooms.

The design enhances the unique character of the site while respecting its heritage, creating a contemporary home that feels naturally connected to its surroundings.

A High-Performance Sustainable Home

Sustainability is embedded throughout the design, with the home developed to Passivhaus principles to minimise energy demand and maximise comfort.

High levels of insulation, excellent airtightness, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) and passive ventilation strategies work together to reduce heat loss and maintain a stable internal environment.

Renewable energy generation, including integrated photovoltaic panels, supports the home's low-energy approach, while rainwater harvesting provides water for garden irrigation and reuse within the property.

The result is a home that does not simply sit within the landscape but works with it; creating a sustainable legacy for future generations.

Our Role

Allan Joyce Architects specialise in creating bespoke homes that respond to exceptional sites, whether transforming existing buildings, working within sensitive landscapes or designing highly sustainable new dwellings.

Through a deep understanding of context, materials and environmental performance, we help private clients create homes that are individual, enduring and meaningful.

As the custodians of our much-loved walled garden, we wanted to return it to its former glory so that it could be enjoyed by our family and passed on to future generations. From the outset, Kerry, Allan and the AJA team took the time to get to know us and our vision, as well as thoroughly researching the rich history of our walled garden. This understanding of our needs, as well as their genuine enthusiasm for our project, has meant the designs for our incredible earth sheltered eco-home are everything we dreamed they would be. Gaining Paragraph 80 planning permission was always going to be one of the biggest challenges throughout the process, and has required expertise, dedication and a passion for the project, which we all share, and we couldn’t be more delighted to have achieved this together. We have loved every chapter of the adventure so far and are excited for the next part of the process to begin of turning our dream home into a reality.

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