The brief for Apple Tree Studio was to accommodate a discreet space for the residents of the nearby house.
The end of the garden to the house was chosen to locate the Studio, as the users felt they wanted the space to be somewhere remote from the house; a place where you would go to, to work, to spend time alone, to draw, or to sleep.
This location had the advantage of being set down lower than the house. This meant that the great long views to Solsbury Hill could be maintained, and with the addition of a sedum roof, the studio would blend with the flora of the garden.
The end of the garden presented the opportunity to design the studio around an existing bramley apple tree and a silver birch tree.
The plan of the Studio occupies three boundaries along its sides and rear. The front elevation forms a playful conversation with the two trees by undulating around them in a series of facets.
Windows are located at key locations to provide striking close-up views of the two trees. The glazing is full height, with the depth of the roof build-up disguised internally in a dark-clad bulkhead, which incorporates an internal blind. A fine anthracite-coloured zinc coping lines the top of the Studio.
A timber terrace is formed around the trees to maximise the south facing orientation. Terracotta pots are dotted around the terrace.
Internally, surfaces are simple and in muted tones. A workspace desk and cupboards have been constructed from a dark material formed from recycled paper. The floor is lined in black rubber making the space feel utilitarian and flexible.
The Studio is clad in deep black charcoal timber, which, when combined with the sedum roof, serves to quietly form a back-drop to the garden. The dark canvas of the cladding highlights the silvery texture of the birch tree.