Crud yr Allt

The Archbishop of Wales and his wife Hilary, approached LOYN+CO in Spring 2014 after purchasing the garden of a large mock Tudor house in Whitchurch Conservation Area. The site had an existing permission for what the clients called a ‘pastiche’ dwelling. They wanted something quite different: a light-filled, modern, comfortable home to retire to. Having lived in various houses but never their own home, they sought a practical, ‘lifetime home’ for them and their wonderful art collection. At the heart of their brief lay the need to secure planning permission and build the dwelling swiftly due to Hilary’s deteriorating health. The timber-frame dwelling was completed within two years of first meeting, tragically four weeks after Hilary’s passing. Crud Yr Allt, created in Hilary’s vision and named after her childhood home, in recognition of the building form cantilevering over the wooded bank, is a sensitive addition to the Crescent and a lasting, striking tribute to her memory for her family to enjoy.

The site commands wonderful southerly views from the principal living accommodation which opens out onto the garden. At the centre of the plan is a double-height atrium with reflecting pools either side. Glimpses into the site and onto the street are carefully considered. The design strategy for this triangular site was driven by privacy and subservience to the existing dwelling, the materiality references the location and the neighbouring dwelling. This house sits quietly behind the original garden wall, whilst at the same time cantilevering over the Taff Trail below. The result is a dramatic view from (and of) the house from the South, offering a chance encounter with a modern dwelling alongside its more traditional neighbours and in contrast to its more minimal street facade. A modest, surprising house that the occupants describe as ‘fantastic to live in’.