A reworked Surrey cottage by Alter & Company is imbued with a sense of playfulness

Buildings.

Photos
Jim Stephenson

Surrounded by scrub and woodland, Stanyards Cottage and its associated outbuildings blend into the wilderness of Surrey’s Chobham Ridges. Alter & Company’s refurbishment concept is informed by four intertwined themes: conservation, journey, place and playfulness.

Ground- and first-floor plans

A glass ‘diamond’ serves as a passageway for the family between the cottage and stable blocks. The structure implies a form of time travel from a historical rural past, to a modern, playful present and future, explains the architect. The sculpted living area is largely open plan and incorporates a cranked steel staircase that links to a bridge suspended below the ridge. Beneath the bridge, a ramp wraps down into a double-height entertainment space, incorporating preserved artefacts from the past. From here, a corridor lined with weathered timber and secret doors leads to the children’s bedrooms and shared bathroom.

A generous corridor – lined on one side with large windows and doors – connects the bedrooms and brings a sense of rhythm to the courtyard. A yellow circular ladder provides access to a ‘playground’, from where a secret door leads to the master bedroom, ensuite bathroom and dressing room. Behind the bedrooms is a large looping tube slide, which connects to the entertainment room below.