Self builders Thomas and Marie Sudbury created this stunning contemporary new build in the heart of Cambridge. Designed and erected by German home builders Baufritz, this eco property has met all the couple’s requirements for a light-filled, energy efficient abode. We take a closer look at the pair’s self build journey, from the design stages to completion.

In 2014, Thomas and Marie decided to tackle their first self build. They purchased a plot without planning permission, which was a big risk. “It had previously been lock-up garages,” says Thomas. “We knew about it because we lived nearby.” They decided to work with timber frame package provider, Baufritz. Each dwelling produced by the firm is engineered in a factory before being delivered to site. “We loved their eco approach, their materials, their finish quality," says Thomas.

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The Sudburys worked with architects Nilsson Pflugfelder to bring their house to life, with input from Baufritz too. There were a lot of decisions to be made during the early stages of the project. The couple even travelled to the company’s factory in Germany to choose the design details for their dwelling. “They created a walk-in mock-up of our bathroom with walls, loo, bath, basin," says Marie.

Once the closed-panel timber frame had been manufactured and shipped to the Sudburys’ plot in Cambridge, erection of the structure was complete in an impressive three days. “The highly insulated 37cm-thick wall panels were made in a factory, doors and windows fitted, and all lifted into place over the yew tree with two cranes,” says Thomas. Even the internal walls arrived ready to paint, which helped save the couple even more time when it came to finishing the interiors.

Due to the plot’s sensitive location in the heart of Cambridge, the home's design was based on a unobtrusive compact box. This has enabled the Sudburys to maximise the distance from the building to the site boundaries, creating a spacious sun-soaked garden.“Windows were carefully placed to provide long uninterrupted vistas, lending an unexpected carefully choreographed sense of grandness to the otherwise spatially efficiently planned house,” says architect Magnus Nilsson.

Keen to enhance their home’s eco credentials, wood cladding was chosen as the finishing material. “Because the frame and most of the walls are made of timber, including the larch cladding, the house is carbon positive for 70 years, locking up carbon absorbed during tree growth,” says Thomas. The idea was to make the larch boards appear uniform and brick-like to complement the surrounding Victorian properties. The crisp lines bring a sense of modernity, whilst still oozing warmth and character.

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Unlike many modern homes, Thomas and Marie opted not to install swathes of glazing across large spans of the building’s façade. “This was a conscious choice after a bad experience with a previous glass box extension,” says Marie. The glazing was positioned to maximise solar gain. “There are carefully-placed but not excessively large triple-glazed windows with internally controlled electric blinds, plus a fixed brise soleil on the south side for further regulation.”

This angled window projects from the façade of the house, forming a striking design feature. Thanks to clever placement of the glazing, the inside of the house is bathed in sunshine. “The house is very light inside, complemented by specially-designed 7-watt LED bulbs with a true colour spectrum,” says Marie.

Pre-fabricated offsite, Thomas and Marie’s new home is extremely energy efficient. Thanks to high levels of insulation and triple glazed windows, it boasts a thermal performance approximately twice current UK standards. The house comes with an impressive set of green credentials, too. Natural materials have been utilised throughout the dwelling and all the timber elements used were sourced from certified sustainable forests. The total Baufritz build cost came in at £602,000.

From the outset of the project, Thomas and Marie were focused on creating a sustainable home, inside and out. “With all material choice there’s a strong emphasis on personal and planetary health,” says Thomas. “There’s no MDF, no PVC, no polystyrene and no VOCs, or toxins in the paints and glues. We were persuaded to avoid all fitted carpets, and we’re so pleased we did.”

The Sudburys also had a strong idea of the look they wanted to establish when it came to the interior design. The walls have been finished in a clean, bright shade of white, allowing colourful pieces of artwork to really pop. The crisp, contemporary décor style is complemented by characterful timber flooring, which introduces a natural warmth throughout.

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While Tom and Marie have consciously decided to steer clear of large expanses of glazing, this cleverly-placed picture window frames a beautiful view into the property’s garden. It also serves as a window seat, perfect for soaking up vistas of the outdoors in a warm and cosy environment.

Overhead glazing has been incorporated to channel light from the top of the house right down to ground floor level. This rooflight also opens up views of the sky, enhancing the bright and fresh feeling that permeates the whole house.

As well as packing plenty of insulation into the home's fabric, Thomas and Marie were keen to incorporate a highly efficient energy strategy. “Energy use is minimised with the help of a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MVHR) setup and a solar cache PV system that uses surplus electricity to heat water,” says Thomas.

The heating system in the house is powered by small gas boiler – although the Sudburys haven’t ruled out switching to renewable energy in the future. “Though it is little used, the boiler is connected to an underfloor heating system. It can easily be switched to an air source heat pump if there’s a need to reduce gas use in the years to come,” says Thomas. “The house is so well insulated, however, that most of the heating zones have never been turned on – even with minus 7°C nights.”

The underfloor heating is more than enough to heat the entire house, as it requires so little energy to heat anyway, but the Sudburys were still keen to incorporate a woodburning stove. “The Germans said, ‘You won’t need a wood burner,’ and they were right,” says Marie. “However, we love it, and so largely ignore the heating system.”

Now the house is complete, Thomas and Marie are delighted with their self build home. “Most of all we wanted a modern, efficient, kind house in our neighbourhood, where we could welcome anyone and everyone,” says Marie. “We think we have achieved that and are very thankful.” The total cost of the scheme came in at £1,392,000.

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