Updown Court is a magnificent traditional English estate which employs state-of-the-art 21^st Century technology to provide the ultimate living environment. It is located in the picturesque village of Windlesham, and sits at the centre of the “golden triangle” framed by Ascot, Runnymede, and Weybridge.

Updown Court dominates its formal setting among 58 expansive acres of landscaped grounds, formal gardens and peaceful woodland, yet it is only a short drive from London.


 

Supported by Merton Council housing department, Bob Harris, a lecturer of ecological construction at Richmond Upon Thames College, has been working on the development of a new technology based on the use of ground source heat pumps. This technology is widely used in the US (with approximately 400,000 systems already in place) but is somewhat rare in the UK where the application of this technology only reaches 200/250 systems. Ground Source Heating Pumps (GSHP) utilise the earths constant temperature to exchange energy between the home and the earth as needed for heating and cooling.

When the new owners moved into this house, one of their priorities was to replace their sliding sash windows. The existing windows were in an irreparable state: the frames were rotten, the sashes were sticking, the weights were detached and the cords damaged. Many of the windows were painted shut, whilst others had excessive gaps between the frames and the sash, causing rattles and draughts.

The new owners were aware that the market value of their home would improve once the windows had been given a makeover, so they contacted Marvin Architectural in order to reproduce the authentic style.

The owners of this house wanted to totally refurbish and revamp their home, as well as build a new extension area in order to extend their kitchen. One of their main priorities was to replace their casement (side hung) windows which were totally rotten and virtually inoperable.

Even though the owners had no intention of selling the property, they were aware that the market value of their home would improve once the windows were replaced. Because of their hectic lifestyle the owners wanted their new windows to be low maintenance and long lasting. They contacted Marvin Architectural for design advice and cost solutions.





 

This residence was originally constructed in 1994 in the style of a hunting lodge. The brief to the architect was to design a home that fitted into the landscape and took advantage of orientation and views.

The house was extended in 2002 to create more recreational space, another bedroom and a mezzanine to capture the dramatic views of the mountains. To maximise on natural light and heat a wall of glass extending into the apex of the roof was installed on the Southerly side of the house.

The owners of this property were very focused on the unique style and type of building they were looking for. Along with their engineer, they approached Marvin Architectural because he was familiar with Marvin Windows and Doors and also because he had had positive experiences with Marvin in the past. Needless to say, this project too was a success.

All elevations of windows and doors were provided by Marvin Architectural before the build commenced in order to help the owners visualise the final outcome. The feature windows were tall sliding sashes combined with half circle round tops. The sun burst glazing bar pattern employed on the half circle round tops line up nicely with the Victorian glazing bar pattern on the sliding sashes. These large windows create a beautiful characteristic to the house as well as providing ample daylight.

This cottage was built in the 1950's as a residence for a local fisherman. It is situated on a steep hill overlooking Howth harbour and has spectacular views of the sea.

The present owners love their home but needed to redesign in order to take full advantage of the incredible sea views from a raised decking area at the back. They also wanted to increase the amount of daylight in the house as the original cottage had small windows and tended to be dark inside. The remodelling created a new 1,500 sq. ft. space that provided an entertaining and relaxing area.