black gabled farmhouse
Cody Medina
Cody Medina
November 5, 2020 ·  5 min read

Black-Gabled Farmhouse Harvests its Own Electricity, Heat, and Water

Have you ever dreamed of owning your own off-grid, self-sustaining, decedent home? A place far away from society that has everything you need in order to be happy? Designing an off-grid farmhouse that’s able to sustain itself indefinitely is no easy task. However, the hard workers at Dwell have accomplished what might be considered a self-sustainable masterpiece. The black-gabled farmhouse has quite a few secrets inside and we are curious as to what they are.

Who Decided To Make This Farmhouse?

Marcos had conversed with a young family that had a vision. A house they could share with friends and family on their farm in Bentworth, a village located in southern England. A farmhouse that’s not only self-sustaining but blends into the surrounding environment.

inddor 1

“We were on the same page regarding a sustainable approach to life, and they believed we could deliver something different from the rest of the practices they had worked with in the past.” Marcos says. (1)

This farmhouse was designed by Madrid-based AMPS Arquitectura & Diseño. The AMPS founder, Alberto Marcos, met the client from the school in which their children attend. In addition, collaborating with Friends Lab, the farmhouse comes with quite a few notable features. This includes handcrafted details, energy-efficient principles, and a thoroughly contemporary interior. Using the farmhouse’s blackened timber buildings as inspiration, Marco’s had an idea. Designing a long, gabled structure enveloped in black-stained Accoya timber batten screen cladding. (1)

garden

“Built with a double skin, the exterior comprises a permeable black-stained Accoya timber batten screen, camouflaging the house as though an agricultural building. The roof and facades stretch along the same plane, in a simple and clear gesture.” The architects explain the outside appearance of the farmhouse. (1)

Read: 10 Perfect Places In North America To Live Off The Grid

What’s Inside This Luxurious Farmhouse?

This home is not only the epitome of luxury but is the idol of sustainability. The design team constructed the farmhouse with prefabricated panels that are made of cross-laminated timber. The versatility these large-scale wood panels provide is incredible in multiple ways. One reason is that they are great to use for amplifying the structure’s thermal properties. The second reason is that using this material reduces construction time significantly. These factors help the farmhouse maintain high-energy efficiency without a problem. (1)

Another feature that this self-sustaining home comes with is light screens. These screens can be deployed on every single window of the house. The purpose is to shield against the sun as to not overheat the house. Additionally, every screen can be digitally controlled by a central system. You can also use this central system to change the lighting or heating inside the farmhouse as well. Convenience is at the touch of a button in this luxurious home. (1)

Not to mention how much wide open space there is inside the farmhouse. When the windows are all open, it almost looks like a glasshouse. Contrasting with the dark exterior, the inside is much brighter. The walls glow from the light-toned objects and material of the house. You can see just about everything inside the home when lit up at night with the curtains open. This also allows for scenic country views in every single room.

plans

Read: These Old Grain Bins Were Converted into a Stunning Bed and Breakfast

Look At These Rooms!

The designers have considered every single little detail, including the kids rooms. Consisting of two elevated sleeping areas with additional storage and desks underneath. One of the rooms has a contemporary tree sculpture that lights up. There’s also a large custom mirror with a ballet bar attached to it. Each bedroom feels as if it’s an island tethered to the outside world. Furthermore, the kid’s room provides plenty of space for activities and play.

However, the master bedroom has a lot of adult features that make life worth living. This room has a cantilevered marble desktop that stretches the length of the window wall. Revealing a ‘future secret garden’ just outside in front of the marble desk. Additionally, this room is decorated with its own encaustic tile scheme. The master bedroom leads to the core of the home. The living room, dining room, and kitchen tie into each other very nicely in the heart of the farmhouse. (1)

bedroom

The bathrooms are just as incredible as every other room in the farmhouse. Every single one comes with its own different colored set of encaustic tiles from the MOSAIC factory. The master bathroom has FLOS Foglio Wall Scones in Steel by Tobia Scarpa. In addition to the large custom circular mirror was designed in the memory of Italian architect, Carlo Scarpa. Believe it or not, the bespoke tubs and basins were all handmade. Designed to match the Pergaminho limestone flooring. You can find bespoke Mortex basins in every bathroom of the farmhouse. (1)

bathroom

How Sustainable Is This Home?

This luxurious farmhouse is entirely self sustainable in every capacity. It’s able to produce it’s own heat, electricity, and water.

“The Friends Lab is very close to carbon-neutral,” Marcos begins to explain. “The 30 kW solar array and the double ground-source heat pump also power the rest of the buildings on the farm. The farm can practically operate with its own resources, including a borehole with a treatment plant to supply water.” (1)

layout

In addition to the light screens all around the house, the limestone floors can be heated. Because of the ground-source heat pump, warmth will never be an issue. Marcos and the designers installed the Pergaminho limestone flooring indoors and outdoors of the farmhouse. Furthermore expressing the seamless transition between the indoors and outdoors of the farmhouse. Skylights are installed in every bathroom as well for natural lighting. The home also has raised vegetable beds outside for homegrown produce.

“It opens to the landscape and is in touch with the outdoors from a very comfortable, human interior,” explains Marcos, his favorite feature of the farmhouse. (1)

land

We can all dream to have an incredible off-grid farmhouse. Maybe one of these days you’ll have your own opportunity for a luxurious home such as this one. Of course, it’s always fun to do digital tours of our dream homes, too.

Keep reading: People Are Obsessed With ‘Barndominiums