Around a third of the working rural population now works at or from home with such businesses becoming increasingly vital to rural economies. The workhome requires flexible design that challenges mono-functional notions of ‘work’ and ‘home’. Our proposed development at Burneside addresses the need for flexible housing and provision for home-based work through the concept of ‘extended fungibility’ developed by economist Michael Lipton. ‘Extended fungibility’ is defined in our case as the capacity to convert spatial resources quickly, easily and without loss, between domestic and economic uses. We apply this concept from the site strategy to the layout and arrangement of the dwellings.
Our design for home-based work draws upon the research of Francis Hollis and design principles she has identified for the workhome to inform the housing types and mix: simple, efficient dwellings that meet National Space Standards with the capacity to be fungible mixed-use properties for home-based work.
Three typologies are proposed: the Dale House, Studio Cottage and Mews House. Inspired by rural vernacular architecture with living accommodation on upper floors for fantastic views, and the facility to be a workhome for a creative rural economy. The fungible ground level can adapt from domestic or vehicular accommodation to workshops, coffee-shops, artists’ studios, dog-grooming salons or remote-working for digital consultants.
These typologies work within a site strategy that discreetly incorporates cars whilst delivering beautiful and functional communal spaces: a village green and playground, a work yard and generous streetscape. In addition, gardens and terraces provide private outdoor space for each dwelling. The Mews Houses form a permeable edge between the streetscape and village green and work yard with the Mews Arches accommodating shared parking, workshops, commercial units and communal facilities.
The houses are constructed of structural insulated panels (SIPs) clad in stone and slate. The design has been developed with a leading UK provider of SIPs based in North Yorkshire and allow for a degree of internal flexibility, fulfilling the need for loose fit long-life habitation andfor different fenestration treatments in response to site orientation to meet low-energy design standards.