Two contemporary waterfront homes by the architectural firm, WAM Design, are the winners of the 2017 RICS South East Residential Award.
Located at Camber Sands in East Sussex, Floating Foundations are built with stainless steel frames and Kebony wood cladding. With their spectacular sea views and direct access to the beach, they are the ultimate summer getaway.
WAM Design was commissioned by a private client to build the two beach houses on the site of an old bungalow. A few meters from the beach, houses melt almost in the dunes.
Both houses were completed in 2014 and three years later, Kebony wood has proved to be a material that can stand the test of time. The wood has now obtained its unique gray-silver patina, which develops after exposure to sun and rain while retaining the technical properties of wood.
WAM Design aimed to minimize the impact of homes on the environment, both visually and physically, and this goal greatly influenced the design process and the choice of materials. The architects wanted to create a continuity in the structure of the buildings, to echo the natural softness of the dunes. Thus the materials selected for this ambitious project are in visual harmony with their location facing the sea. In addition, they are recycled and durable materials, which are resistant to weather conditions related to the marine element.