Chant De La Mer, St.Brelade

COMPLETED 2019 // NEW BUILD

Godel Architects were appointed to replace a bungalow on a sloping site in St Brelade with a new three-level family home that opens to wide views over the bay and resolves the awkward layout and enclosed access of the original house. The new building flows easily, with well-proportioned rooms filled with light and air, shaped by carefully placed openings that offer close views into planted courtyards and wider views to the sea. The house includes a basement pool and sauna, a wine tasting room with separate storage, and an environment-controlled store for seasonal clothing; the bedrooms feature concealed televisions that lift into the ceiling so views can remain uninterrupted. The architecture is composed of solid and void elements that form a sequence of courtyards, bringing light into the house at different times of day and creating moments of interest throughout. Despite its size and elevated position, the home feels calm and intimate. Godel Architects led the full design process, working with a local contractor for the basement and external works and a specialist German contractor for the prefabricated structure. High thermal performance, airtightness, air source heat pumps, photovoltaics and battery storage allow the building to produce more energy than it uses, making it operationally self-sufficient.