Keymer County Peg Antique

Project Name

Caring Wood

Product Used

Keymer County Peg Antique

Caring Wood is an extensive country home project set in 84 acres of scenic Kentish countryside, with the space for three generations of the same family, incorporating formal, communal and private spaces. For this ambitious project which infuses the spirit of its local identity the architects chose the Keymer County Peg Antique, a roof tile crafted using traditional handmade techniques and rich Wealdon Clay to make a durable, versatile product with a unique warmth and texture. The project was recently revealed as the winner of 2017 RIBA House of the Year in an episode of Channel 4’s Grand Designs: House of the Year presented by Kevin McCloud.

The architects faced a challenging brief: to embody the spirit of the English country house in a design which would embrace its context and landscape of the kentish countryside, while simultaneously providing a carbon neutral response to climate change. The designers vision for the country home ensured that the relationship with the landscape took precedence, with the central core and four oast towers growing from the contours of the hill. The language of the oast was manipulated to provide a contemporary environmental response which manifests itself into a sculptural roof form. The aesthetic ambitions, practical needs and sustainable principles of the project dictated the choice of every fundamental material, including for the roof.

For a roofing design that involved a complex combination of shapes and angles, a durable and adaptable roof tile product was needed. After comparing many other brands, the designers chose Keymer, which as one of the UK’s oldest roofing brands have been handcrafting roof tiles since 1588. They chose the Keymer County Peg Antique for the project for two reasons: Firstly, the design of the tile, with its versatile fixing method, makes handling and laying a simple and easy process for contractors. Secondly, it’s natural aesthetic is imbued with a distinctive finish and warmth of colour that is perfect for regional style of the country home.

Testimonials

“To be involved in a project like this is a unique, once in a lifetime opportunity. It is very unusual, but we had and still have a great relationship with the architects. One of our strengths at Keymer is project management, it’s what we do very well. Having one reliable main contact was really important. It’s one of the reasons we got to work on a project like this.”

Christine Leadbeater, Business Development Manager for Keymer