Liverpool based K2 Architects was established in March 2007 is headed up by Architect Directors Kevin Horton and Mark Davies who first collaborated together as design architects on Grosvenor’s £1 Billon Liverpool One Development.
“The aim of the practice is to produce high quality design with a strong emphasis on innovation and sustainability.” Says Kevin. Their ambition and drive is already bearing fruit. “In January of this year K2 Architects became one of six successful finalists, from a field of over 100 architectural practices from across the globe, in the RIBA design led competition for the £250m ‘Make Me a Home’ competition for developers Urban Splash and Muse Developments in Stockton-On-Tees".
We are currently developing this ‘house typology’ which redefines the traditional terrace for sustainable living with a view to launching the scheme in Spring 2010.” he adds is an RIBA Chartered Practice which specialises in bespoke cutting edge sustainable residential design, whilst maintaining a strong interest in multi-million pound regeneration and masterplanning, through to office, retail and educational schemes. Due for completion in December Cloud house is the first in a series of bespoke sustainable homes that K2 are developing.Cloud House
Cloud house replaces a dilapidated barn in West Lancashire. Kevin says: “Whilst a passing glance will be all that is needed to appreciate that the building is confident in its modernity, those who spend more time reflecting on its design will unveil a much more subtle understanding of the buildings’ connection to its environment.
“Cloud House seeks a language and style that has a complex inter-relationship with the landscape and climate that is characteristic to The Moss. The house should be appreciated within the wider context of the flat landscapes, strong light and dramatic weather patterns that form the surrounding environment rather than a simple object in isolation.
K2 Architects Eco-Home due for completion in December
Liverpool based K2 Architects was established in March 2007 is headed up by Architect Directors Kevin Horton and Mark Davies who first collaborated together as design architects on Grosvenor’s £1 Billon Liverpool One Development.
“The aim of the practice is to produce high quality design with a strong emphasis on innovation and sustainability.” Says Kevin. Their ambition and drive is already bearing fruit. “In January of this year K2 Architects became one of six successful finalists, from a field of over 100 architectural practices from across the globe, in the RIBA design led competition for the £250m ‘Make Me a Home’ competition for developers Urban Splash and Muse Developments in Stockton-On-Tees.
We are currently developing this ‘house typology’ which redefines the traditional terrace for sustainable living with a view to launching the scheme in Spring 2010.” he adds.
K2 is an RIBA Chartered Practice which specialises in bespoke cutting edge sustainable residential design, whilst maintaining a strong interest in multi-million pound regeneration and masterplanning, through to office, retail and educational schemes. Due for completion in December Cloud house is the first in a series of bespoke sustainable homes that K2 are developing.
Cloud House
Cloud house replaces a dilapidated barn in West Lancashire. Kevin says: “Whilst a passing glance will be all that is needed to appreciate that the building is confident in its modernity, those who spend more time reflecting on its design will unveil a much more subtle understanding of the buildings’ connection to its environment.
“Cloud House seeks a language and style that has a complex inter-relationship with the landscape and climate that is characteristic to The Moss. The house should be appreciated within the wider context of the flat landscapes, strong light and dramatic weather patterns that form the surrounding environment rather than a simple object in isolation.
“The strongest aspect of the landscape is the way in which the sky dominates the ground and more specifically the way in which the clouds manipulate daylight as they constantly shift their form, weight and colour to dramatic effect.”
In essence the house takes a simple linear geometric form of a tradition barn structure typical to the area and wraps itself in a lightweight zinc skin that expresses the elements and seasons of the landscape in which it sits.
The £650,000 property is 27 metres long and contains five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a double height sunken lounge, an open plan dining and kitchen and a first floor lounge (cinema room) with dramatic views across The Moss towards Liverpool and North Wales.
All of the contractors suppliers were carefully chosen for their sustainability credentials using the Times Online 60 greenest companies, Metsec for the building frame and Saint Gobain for the glass in particular.
The building fabric uses materials that can be easily recycled. Essentially a steel frame and metal studs clad in zinc panels acting as a rainscreen system and insulated with a super think layer of Rockwool.
Structural steel is the most recyclable material in the world at a rate of 97% whilst about 30% of the world's zinc is from recycled sources and further estimates suggest that 80% of zinc available for recycling is in fact recycled indicating that this figure will only improve with time.
Rockwool can and generally is fully recycled back into the manufacturing process. Compare this with a traditional brick cavity wall which can generally only be recycled into rubble and it is clear that cloud house represents far greater opportunities for recycling in the future.
Combine this super insulated fabric with the use of some simple sustainable technologies such as rainwater recycling and you have a building with and environmental impact rating of 86 points.
List of contractors
Architect K2 Architects
M+E Mercury Engineering]
Structural McCourt Design
CCGeotechnical Groundwork investigation
Main Contractor Caldway Homes
QS Gerrard O’donnel
Cladding supplier Carlton Roofing
Rheinzink
Silvelox (timber)
Steel frame Heritage Steel
Steel Infill Metsec
Concrete deck MSW
External shell Nicholas Drylining
M+E Halsall Heating
Electrical BFM Electrical Ltd
Windows Protec
Sunfold
Glazing Vision
Staircase/balustrades Ashton Engineering