{"id":7892,"date":"2026-05-04T10:00:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T10:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/angesfinanciers.org\/?p=7892"},"modified":"2026-05-08T15:17:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T15:17:59","slug":"gresford-architects-clads-low-carbon-oxfordshire-bungalow-in-cedar-wood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/angesfinanciers.org\/index.php\/2026\/05\/04\/gresford-architects-clads-low-carbon-oxfordshire-bungalow-in-cedar-wood\/","title":{"rendered":"Gresford Architects clads low-carbon Oxfordshire bungalow in cedar wood"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/div>\n

Local studio Gresford Architects<\/a> has upgraded the Old Orchard, a 1980s bungalow<\/a> in Oxfordshire, with a low-impact and modern extension<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The timber-clad home was refurbished<\/a> for the studio’s principal architect, Tom Gresford and his family, after recognising the site’s carbon-neutral<\/a> potential \u2013 a key factor in their search for a countryside property following COVID-19.<\/p>\n

\"Gresford
Gresford Architects has extended a countryside bungalow<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Located in West Oxfordshire, the country house is set back from the street and overlooks the Thames Valley.<\/p>\n

Originally built in the 1960s, the bungalow underwent its first remodel in the 1980s. Despite its good condition, its interiors were in need of an upgrade for contemporary and family-friendly living.<\/p>\n

\"Timber-clad
The extension aligns with EnerPHIT guidelines<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“The idea was to take a typical bungalow and maximise its potential, both spatially and environmentally,” Gresford told Dezeen. <\/span><\/p>\n

“We wanted to increase its floor area without impacting the existing footprint or foundations, which we did by adding a new first floor to part of the house.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Gresford Architects<\/a> approached the project with the aim of keeping the use of new materials to a minimum, while reusing and repurposing elements from the original structure wherever possible.<\/p>\n

\"Glazed
Materials were reused or repurposed, keeping the carbon footprint low<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a result, the project aligns with EnerPHIT<\/a> guidance, the Passivhaus standard for retrofit projects.<\/p>\n

These guidelines require that as much as possible of the existing building is either kept or reused, ensuring that materials with high levels of embodied carbon are left unaltered to keep the carbon footprint low.<\/p>\n

\"Oxfordshire
The ground floor colour scheme was informed by Japanese kimonos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To create a uniform aesthetic between the old and new structures, Gresford Architects enveloped the home in western red cedar, which was harvested from trees on the site itself.<\/p>\n

A segment of the roof was removed and replaced with a timber-framed extension, which unfurls along the site’s cruciform plan. The design of the powder-coated corrugated steel roof was informed by neighbouring agricultural buildings.<\/p>\n

\"A
An MVHR system was installed to regulate temperature<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The home has also been externally insulated, resulting in lower U-values and better insulation.<\/p>\n

While no additional heating system was needed, the studio chose to use an energy-efficient MVHR system for cross ventilation as well as renewable energy sources, including solar panels and an air source heat pump.<\/p>\n

“The MVHR system enables the interiors to feel fresh and well-ventilated even when doors are shut,” said Gresford.<\/p>\n