Sun spots...

One intriguing feature of Sandra and Huw’s new home is a series of six raised Velux windows that have been dotted onto the grass roof at street level. ese rooflights do much more than leave a subtle hint to the home that sits below. Sited above the corridor inside, they draw light into areas of the house that would otherwise be deprived of natural brightness. “Our home may be underground in some senses, but it doesn’t feel like that”, says Sandra. Overall energy performance is good, but the house doesn’t rely on tech like mechanical ventilation. With the front bifolds, plus trickle vents to side windows and the rooflights, good natural ventilation is assured. e turreted bases of the Velux rooflights, which raise each unit approximately 300mm above the grass roof, were custom built on site. A telescopic pole enables the windows to be opened from inside.