The Bird Sanctuary

To fulfil the dream of a self-build project, a piece of land was purchased from a farmer in the fenland countryside. The plot was secured for agricultural purposes only and multiple planners were adamant that obtaining planning permission was an impossibility. But after developing a concept of architectural merit, alongside the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, planners have now approved a concept that enhances the local wildlife.

Five years of planning, design development and now building control submissions – construction will soon begin on the bird sanctuary that has been named ‘La Escondida’.

Based on a single floor, the concept is designed to accommodate the antique Mexican furniture imported from the owners homeland. The true challenge of this project was to accommodate these antique furnishings within a modernist and linear design. The building is composed of 3 simple blocks – work, live, and relax. The structure will be constructed from locally-sourced, reconstituted bricks and loose lime render on to slab layers that create degrees of privacy and reveal.

Birds and shrubbery are encouraged to inhabit the front exterior wall of the house, giving it an immediate sense of belonging and welcoming.