Looking Glass Lodge

by Michael Kendrick Architects

Client Private

Awards RIBA South East Award 2024 and RIBA South East Small Project of the Year 2024.

The client’s parents have been planting trees on the property in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) for seven decades. This lodge is intended to allow visitors to enjoy the resultant woodland while helping to pay for its upkeep.

Preserving the site’s ecology was key to the brief. The architects used off-site construction to deliver an efficient build programme with minimal disruption. Cantilevered over a slope, the steel and timber structure had to be robust to support the large glazed elements to the front and rear without deflection. The same timber species – western red cedar – is used for the external cladding and internal lining. This will weather to a grey colour externally, to blend with the landscape while contrasting with the warmer tones that will remain within. The glazing floods the space with natural light, but automatically darkens to limit light pollution when artificial lighting is necessary.

Contractor Self - Build

Structural Engineer Momentum

Gross internal area in m² 49.5