Pobble House, Dungeness, Kent
Guy Hollaway Architects

Set within the Dungeness Estate, a stark and open headland on the Kent and Sussex coast, the Pobble House takes its name from the old Kentish word for pebble. With the headland home to Europe’s largest expanse of shingle, it has been classified as Britain’s only desert and is home to a vast array of wildlife, plant species and migratory birds, many of which cannot be found anywhere else in the UK. As a result, this unique landscape has been recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a National Nature Reserve, Conservation Area and Special Landscape Area.

Although a setting of immense natural beauty, the landscape is characterised by significant urban contrast with the Dungeness Nuclear Power station and its two lighthouses that dominate the coastline. Inspired by the juxtaposition between nature and industrial architecture, the interior and living spaces of the Pobble House are designed with a minimal aesthetic that embraces sleek linear structures, contrasting materials including Havwoods flooring, and vast angular windows that frame the surrounding views.

Strict planning regulations dictated much of the internal layout

With practices in both London and Kent, the Guy Hollaway Architects practice was chosen to bring the Pobble House to life. The distinctive exterior is testament to the vision of Hollaway and his team, with materials such as larch cladding selected to weather with time, while cement boards were chosen for lasting visual contrast.

Strict planning regulations dictated much of the internal layout

Owing to the area’s cultural and natural significance, strict planning regulations dictated much of the internal layout as the new structure needed to be of a similar scale and proportion to that of the original dwelling it replaced. Pobble House has been shortlisted for a number of architectural awards, including the British Homes Award and AJ small projects.