Sandsend Surgery

Sandsend, North Yorkshire

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The house and surgery at Sandsend occupies a prominent corner site with commanding views of the sea and eastwards towards Whitby Abbey. The proposals have been developed around two guiding principles; a community surgery that is accessible for all local residents
 and a family home that responds to the fantastic views.

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The design intent was to create a form that responded to the curved site boundary and utilised the natural slope of the site to separate the two functions. The result is a curved building that has echoes of traditional coastal structures, such as lighthouses and sea forts.

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The curved form of the building is punctuated by deep reveals that provide privacy to internal rooms and at the same time give a sense of mass to the building, which is important in such an exposed and prominent position. The building acts as a gatehouse on the main approach from Whitby to Sandsend. The lower ground floor surgery faces the main approach road from Whitby and is recessed under the drum to provide a degree of shelter.

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The mid level of the building contains the private rooms for the main house and due to the prominent position care has been taken to recess openings to maintain privacy for the occupants. A central top-lit 'gallery' links the bedrooms and runs north to south.

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The rooftop pavilion provides the main living space and is intended to contrast with the stone drum below. Sitting behind the stone parapet wall, the pavilion is partly obscured from street level and affords a degree of privacy for the occupants. The materiality is deliberately lightweight in contrast to the stone below.

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The building has drawn widespread publicity, featuring in regional and national press and a number of lifestyle magazines. The building has made a significant architectural contribution to Sandsend and is constantly cited as a key reference building within Scarborough District.

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