A Modern Coastal Home Designed to Withstand the Sea | Bay House

Описание: #coastalhome #homedesign #architecture
A Modern Coastal Home Designed to Withstand the Sea | Bay House

Bay House is a low-energy family home designed by British architectural studio McLean Quinlan, set within a coastal village in North Devon, England. Carefully shaped by its steeply sloping site, the five-bedroom residence responds to sweeping views of the coastline on one side and open pastoral farmland on the other.

Following the natural contours of the land, the house steps down from one to three storeys, revealing its layered form gradually as visitors move through the site. From the street, Bay House appears as a modest single-level dwelling, unfolding internally to capture long coastal horizons and sheltered outdoor spaces.

Designed for an active, community-oriented family who surf, cycle, and walk locally, the layout balances openness with practicality. A generous entrance hall and study create a buffer to the main living areas, while utility spaces and a garage accommodate outdoor equipment. Full-height glazing in the entry hall looks onto a protected courtyard planted with a native conifer pine, bringing light and calm into the heart of the home.

The main living level opens fully to the landscape, with expansive glazing framing panoramic ocean and valley views to the east and west. Open-plan living, kitchen, and dining areas are filled with natural light while remaining protected from coastal winds. These spaces connect seamlessly to front and rear terraces, while the primary bedroom enjoys its own private balcony overlooking the surroundings.

A glazed stair hall runs along the southern edge of the plan, shaded by angled oak louvres that soften the robust stone façade. A bespoke oak staircase with floating treads filters daylight vertically through the home, enhancing spatial continuity. On the lower levels, four additional bedrooms, a yoga studio, snug, and plant room open onto terraces deeply embedded within the landscape, ensuring even the most private spaces remain connected to nature.

McLean Quinlan also designed the interiors, drawing directly from the colors and textures of the surrounding environment. The material palette includes engineered oak floors and wall panelling, light plaster finishes, and large-format ceramic tiles. Custom oak joinery—combining smooth and rough-sawn surfaces with brushed brass details—adds warmth and craftsmanship throughout, including bespoke bench seating in the entrance hall.

Bay House is built to passive design principles, integrating a highly insulated and airtight thermal envelope. Heating and cooling are provided by a ground source heat pump with mechanical ventilation and heat recovery, supported by a green roof and a discreet photovoltaic array concealed behind the parapet. An 80-centimetre service void along the rear elevation improves thermal performance, mitigates damp, and ensures long-term durability in the coastal climate.

The exterior is clad in pale Purbeck stone quarried in Dorset, chosen for its resilience and subtle tones that echo the nearby sand dunes. Landscape design by Eden Design incorporates local granite and native coastal grasses, anchoring the house firmly within its North Devon setting.

Bay House exemplifies McLean Quinlan’s philosophy of crafting architecture that is both environmentally responsible and deeply rooted in place—where material honesty, passive performance, and landscape come together to create a timeless coastal home.

Architect, Interior Design: McLean Quinlan - http://www.mcleanquinlan.com/
Landscape Consultant: Eden Design - https://www.edendesign.co.uk/
Photographers: Jim Stephenson - http://clickclickjim.com/
Structural Engineers: Marbas - https://www.marbas.co.uk/
M&E consultants: Martin Thomas Associates - https://www.mtassoc.co.uk/
Glazing: ah!60 minimalist win... ah!38 minimalist lar... by panoramah!®
Tiles: Core Collection Quar... by Mosa
Clay plaster: Clayworks Demi-Rusti... by Clayworks
Kitchen: B3 by Bulthaup
Tapware & Bathroom Basins: The John Pawson Coll... by byCOCOON
Purbeck limestone: Haysom Purbeck Stone
Location: North Devon, UK
Project Year: 2024
Category: Private Houses
Building Area: 775 m2

#hillhouse #modernhouse #housedesign #unitedkingdom