Allan ClaytonM.Arch (Professional)
All projects
Night rendering of the house shown as a lit architectural model on a dark plinth, with bare trees across the site and warm light spilling from the interiors.

Architectural design and delivery

Coastal House

A coastal house resolved around a steel frame and a long glazed edge, taking the sea on one side and daylight from above.

Design-development rendering, composed as a lit model on the desk.

Project record

Date
2022–2024
Context
Practice project at Geoff Fletcher Architects
Role
Design collaborator; project lead through design development and construction
Outputs
  • Developed design
  • Construction documentation
  • Delivered building
Tools
  • Rhino
  • Revit
  • Blender

Project

The house works from two sources of light. On the seaward side a long glazed edge is held open by a steel frame, so the main living spaces meet the water without visible structure in the way. Away from that edge, where a window would only look back at the neighbours, a roof lantern brings daylight down an internal wall instead.

The steel frame is what makes the first move possible, and it set the order of the work: the portal frames and their connections had to be resolved before the linings, glazing and finishes could be committed. The construction photograph is that moment, with the frame up and the edge still open.

I worked on the design as a collaborator within the practice, and led the project through design development and construction. That covered the developed design, the construction documentation, and the site observation that carried it to completion.

Construction photograph from inside the house, looking past red primed steel columns and scaffolding to the sea and a large island beyond.
The steel frame during construction, with the glazed edge still open to the sea.

Process

  1. Design development
  2. Documentation and consent
  3. Construction observation
  4. Completion
Completed living room looking out through a glazed corner to the sea, with two yellow armchairs at the window and a long linear fireplace set into stone on the left.
The living room on completion, with the glazed corner carrying the view.
Completed interior seating area where a long roof lantern casts sharp rectangles of daylight down a white wall behind two black wire chairs.
Daylight from the roof lantern, cast down the inner wall.