Woldon is at the forefront of sustainable rural and urban developments. Whether working on a new building or adapting a historic structure, we are dedicated to producing environmentally responsive and low energy designs.
Our practice is proud of our capabilities to deliver net zero carbon buildings. We strive to maintain the highest social and environmental standards.
Woldon’s knowledge is informed by our in-house expertise in low-energy design and passive house standards. It allows for a broad yet technical view of environmental design to incorporate sustainably sourced materials, building form and low-energy consumption.
Case Study - Newbuild Designer's Workshop, Cornwall
Masters of our craft, trusted for our skills and with sustainability at the heart of our practice, we design high-quality buildings that are environmentally responsible and stand the test time.
High-thermal efficiency through robust detailing
Woldon Architects were approached to transform Argal Home Farm, a former farmstead, into a vibrant and inspirational place to live a work. The existing stable block was replaced with a new workshop that is designed to follow Passive House standards, providing a high performance envelope and efficient building systems. This ensures the workshop will have a very low energy consumption, excellent internal comfort, and a high quality of construction.
Excellent Level of Comfort and Working Environment
The proposed build-up included:
-Highly insulated lamellar wood structure, clad externally in timber.
-timber frame, draught-free windows and rooflights
-high performance timber frame doors
-insulated reinforced concrete slab.
Case Study - Conversion and Retrofit of Barns to Commercial Studios
Adaptive re-use of stone barns
The stone barn underwent a sensitive refurbishment to provide 3 light industrial units and offices for local creative enterprises. The refurbishment follow closely the principles of the EnerPhit standard, with the aim of providing a very comfortable environment with minimal energy use.
Thermal upgrade avoiding condensation issue
The thermal performance of the solid stone walls was improved by using woodfibre insulation which creates a breathable wall build-up and eliminate the risk of interstitial condensation, often associated with internal insulation.
Biomass Boiler and Photovoltaics
The low energy refurbishment coupled with the introduction of low energy systems such as a biomass boiler and heat recovery ventilation, and the generation of energy on-site via photovoltaics, creates an outstanding project which has the potential to come close to the proposed ‘net zero energy’ concept.
Case Study - New Low Energy House in Listed Setting - RIBA Award winning
Passive House Principles Applied
Font house is a low energy house. The design follows the principles of the Passive House standard: a highly insulated envelope, draught-free, and eliminating thermal bridges. The internal wall plaster and the spruce ply board ceiling create the line of airtightness throughout the house. The house incorporates:
-High Performance Doors and Windows
-Solid cavity walls (blockwork inside, foamglass insulation, and external stone cladding)
-Insulated reinforced concrete slab and suspended ceiling
-Underfloor heating from an Air Source Heat Pump
Within the grounds of Grade I listed Nevill Holt lie three historic walled gardens dating from the seventeenth century. Recently restored kitchen and Italianate gardens are accompanied in the third enclosure by a new low energy house designed by Woldon Architects.
Contemporary Response to Site and Materials
Replacing a tired 1960s bungalow, the new south facing house takes on a symmetrical form, standing clear of and celebrating the surrounding ancient walls. The material palette draws on local sources and inspiration from the main hall with a series of hand-crafted bronze roofs set on ironstone facades framed by slender metalwork pergolas. The stone is worked by hand and carefully selected from quarries and reclaimed sources in Leicestershire, Oxfordshire and Yorkshire. The house is to be heated via an air source heat pump.
Coordinated Interiors and Bespoke Finish
The interiors, developed in conjunction with interior designer Ann Boyd, balance a refined and intimate living space with an appropriate setting for entertaining. Private wings flank a large pavilion room centred around a fireplace, which opens out directly onto a reclaimed Yorkstone terrace. Slim-framed sliding screens are set on a flush threshold blurring the boundary between internal and external spaces.
