Ferry Cottage
North Oxford
PROJECT TYPE: Principal Contractor
ARCHITECTURE: West Waddy Archadia
OVERVIEW: The works to Ferry Cottage included the demolition of a 1970s extension, extensive restoration to the original cottage and the new build of a contemporary glazed extension, designed to maximise living space and to reveal the previously covered rear face of this historically significant property. The careful restoration of original features throughout the main cottage sat alongside major repairs, including works to structural beams and the underpinning and rebuild of significant wall sections.
The modern two-storey extension, set partially below ground, required a deep basement dig out, with reinforced specialist tanking and drainage systems. Additional accommodation and extensive utility space is set in the new basement floor, allowing the roofline of the two-storey extension to sit below the eves of the original 16th-century cottage. Specialist finishes include a polished concrete floor, a bespoke contemporary oak staircase with glazed balustrade, an electric retractable glass wall, and a glazed link between the old and new sections of the building – flanked by rough-hewn stone walls.
Extensive energy efficient upgrades and new technologies were integral to the works. Rigorous insulation systems and secondary glazing to old fenestration sit alongside air source heat pumps, an extensive PVP array and a Tesla battery system, which feeds a three-phase electricity system and electric car charging. Low-energy LED lighting, grey water flushing toilets, and the use of reclaimed materials such as York stone pavers and 17th-century floorboards back the all-encompassing reuse and low energy ethos of the build.
