Brimstone® ash selected for new build celebrating award-winning design and exceptional craftsmanship
Set in the Suffolk countryside, Low Meadow is a low energy forever home which has been thoughtfully designed by Andrew Hughes Architects and delivered on site with extreme care by Blue Door Construction.
The timber-framed new build replaces a disused cattle barn that had been previously approved for conversion. The simple barn-like forms were designed with home-working and future-living in mind, resulting in light filled spaces, with crisp detailing throughout.
Shaping a New Space
Taking inspiration from the existing barn, the design for the house centred around a change in cladding between the ground and first floors.
The ground floor is articulated and rusticated, while the first floor is more refined and smooth in its finish. This datum and material change continues around the whole dwelling and provides an anchor for window and door openings.
Performance-Driven Cladding with a Lasting Visual Impact
Multiple factors led Andrew Hughes Architects to select Brimstone® ash as the cladding for the project. Their client wanted to achieve a look and feel that was crisp and simple in their forever home. They were also motivated to select a British species due to geo-political changes that occurred during the technical design phase.
Testing for the Long Term
Andrew Hughes Architects carried out a number of weathering and hardness tests with samples of many British timber species, and Ash came out most favourably when considered for its longevity and cost. They were looking for a timber that would silver well without staining, while also looking for a thermally treated material that could be configured in both the board on board, and random width arrangements that were a key part of the design of the building.
The client wanted the cladding to end up looking silver and there was some concern that a cladding that was so deep brown could ever change to that tone. We shared plenty of case studies of projects that had weathered, in order to show the client what the cladding could become.
"The transition from deep chocolate brown to the silver colour it has now reached was a real treat to watch as each time we visited the site the building had changed colour again. The even weathering of the cladding has created a finished building that is crisp in its detailing and natural in its finish. It blends well with the surrounding landscape.
The Contractor [Blue Door Construction], was pleased with the overall quality of the cladding which made achieving the crisp detailing simpler. We really can’t emphasise how much their attention to detail made the final installation of the cladding really sing.
"
Two Years On…
Two years after completion, we are delighted to hear that the homeowner remains thrilled with their home. The cladding has met all their expectations and has achieved the soft silver appearance that they wanted.
After the completion of the main project, they installed a self-build outbuilding, which is also clad with Brimstone® ash. They sourced the cladding from us directly this time as self-builders and we are also happy to hear that found The Team here at Vastern Timber very helpful!
"We were happy putting Vastern Timber forward as a potential supplier of cladding because of the quality and comparative cost of the products."
Low Meadow is the winner of the New Build category at the 2025 RIBA Suffolk Craftsmanship Awards.
Commended at the 2025 RIBA Suffolk Design Awards.
PROJECT DETAILS
Timber
Cladding: Brimstone® Ash
Profiles: VHL4 + PAR
Architect
Andrew Hughes Architects
www.andrewhughesarchitects.com
Contractor
The Blue Door Development Company
www.bluedoorcompany.com
Photography
Giles McGarry
www.kantryla.net
