As well as paving the way for swift construction and excellent energy efficiency, insulating concrete formwork (ICF) offers plenty of scope for design wow factor — as these stunning homes demonstrate
Cantilevered creation
This contemporary house in rural Kent was designed by Gregory Phillips Architects using Nudura’s ICF system, supplied by ICF Southern. Though the owners considered a variety of build methods, ICF was the best option for the unique, semi-subterranean design.
When viewed from the front, the house is designed to appear as a modest two-storey building. However, the back of the property takes full advantage of the sloping site; the structure is partially built into the slope, to reveal a fourstorey design that maximises its views across the surrounding area of outstanding natural beauty.
The first stage of the build was to construct the underground levels of the house – which included a sub-basement level to accommodate ducts and machinery – and a basement for the swimming pool and plant room. The first floor of the property sits at a right angle to the lower level, projecting across the lower levels to form a covered outdoor seating area.
“The use of insulating concrete formwork – alongside reinforcing bars – allowed the two cantilevers to the front and the rear of the property to be built without the need for structural steel that would have required a crane for lifting,” says Sam from ICF Southern.
A similar project would cost between £3,500 and £4,500 per m².
Three-in-one
This wow-factor self-build in Lancashire comprises three distinct structures designed to mimic the appearance of a farmhouse sitting alongside barn conversions.
Beco’s Wallform system was chosen as the construction solution for the three units — a barn-like building clad in traditional Lakeland slate, a smaller, white-rendered structure, plus a dramatic glazed structure linking the two.
“Wallform was chosen for the high levels of energy efficiency achieved in the basic construction — particularly for a house in an elevated and exposed position,” says Robin Miller, managing director at Beco. The retaining walls of the basement in the main building were also built using Wallform. “With the structural strength and energy efficiency already achieved in the basic building shell, it offered a much wider choice of cladding systems without detracting from the building performance,” says Robin.
Inside, the use of ICF has allowed for solid floors with wide, clear open-plan spans. Large spans of glazing invite plenty of sunshine in, with high levels of insulation to balance out the overall thermal performance of the property. The total build cost of the 650m² property was approximately £3,200 per m² and the total cost of the Wallform was in the region of £7
