Fabhaus
A collaboration in timber
A new build on Portsmouth’s coast represents a harmonious blend of minimalist design and conscious living. Bringing to life a vision spearheaded by the client, a product designer with a keen eye for detail.
Developed in collaboration between Hatch + Mason and MPA Architects, Fabhaus transforms a former bungalow on the south coast into a timber home built to Passive House principles.
Project details
Client
Private client
Location
Selsey, West Sussex
Area
300 square meters
Type
Residential
The house prioritises simplicity, functionality, and a strong commitment to sustainability. Every detail of the design was pared down to its essence, with an emphasis on honesty in materials and clean, minimal detailing. The client’s desire for seamless execution influenced every decision, resulting in an aesthetic that is both simple and highly refined.
Collaboration and craft lie at the heart of meaningful design. Built and clad from sustainably sourced timber, the home embodies a dialogue between precision and warmth - balancing the client’s meticulous vision with a shared pursuit of contextual, enduring architecture. It’s pared-back material palette celebrates honesty in both construction and product. A reminder that materials matter.
Timber cladding creates a warm, organic touch to the exterior. Achieving the precise modular alignment of the timber panels was one of the project’s greatest challenges, but the result is a seamless façade that reinforces the architectural concept of “boxes within a box.”
The material palette is deliberately raw and honest.
Exposed birch plywood lining the interiors is balanced by playful colours that bring a sense of fun to the project. The interiors celebrate the client’s passion for design through carefully curated furnishings, including a fantastic collection of dining chair designs.
The home operates entirely without a traditional heating system. An electric mat on the ground floor, combined with a mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) system, regulates the indoor climate. Solar panels line the roof, providing renewable energy to power the house, while sedum roofs across converted containers in the garden foster biodiversity, and blend the structures into their natural surroundings.
Photography by Chris Snook