Hollaway Studio’s Westview Cottage Continues the Story of Dungeness

This article reviews Hollaway Studio’s Westview Cottage in Dungeness, a bold reclamation of a dilapidated 1940s house in Britain’s only desert. The project replaces the old dwelling with a low-lying home that respects strict site limits while weaving in eight adjoining outbuildings to maximise internal space.

The result is a modern, connected family home that foregrounds westward views toward the shingle landscape and lighthouse horizons. Durable materials protect the house from the harsh coastal environment.

Overview

Westview Cottage preserves the footprint and massing of the original dwelling. It reimagines circulation and rhythm across the site.

The eight nearby outbuildings are integrated to expand program without compromising planning constraints. This creates a cohesive, low-lying form that sits gently on the landscape.

The design unfolds as a sequence of open-plan living areas oriented to the west. There are direct connections to the surrounding shingle and horizon views.

Hollaway Studio uses a calm, restrained architectural language. The house reads as a series of connected volumes, allowing light and air to permeate the interior while maintaining privacy where needed.

Design Approach

The project adopts a restrained coastal language that nods to local vernacular while delivering a contemporary family home. The low-lying form sits within tight site limits, and the eight outbuildings are treated as deliberate parts of a larger composition.

These outbuildings provide storage and living space without overwhelming the primary residence. The layout prioritizes west-facing views and easy access to the shingle landscape.

Sightlines to the lighthouse shape room relationships and material choices. The team selected durable, weathering materials that will age gracefully in the coastal climate.

The design balances openness with privacy as it unfolds across the plan.

• Low-lying massing that respects the site profile
• Integrated outbuildings to extend usable space
• Open-plan zones oriented to lighthouse and shoreline views
• Durable, weathered materials for longevity in harsh winds and salt spray

Materials and Finishes

Externally, the house reads as a composition of separate forms using a material palette drawn from the local vernacular: charred timber, white-coated timber, corrugated metal, and corten steel.

This combination creates a weathered, robust silhouette that will patina with the coast’s salt air and storms. It aligns with the project’s sustainability and resilience goals.

Inside, finishes are chosen to visually extend the beach and light. The salt-and-pepper concrete floor is cast with a local aggregate to echo the nearby shoreline.

White-washed and oiled timbers and polished plasterwork provide warmth and texture. The palette reinforces the connection between interior spaces and the surrounding landscape.

This blurs the lines between indoors and outdoors.

Spatial Strategy

The entrance opens into the main living area with immediate views toward a lighthouse. This establishes a dramatic orientation from the outset.

The main bedroom also benefits from the same outlook. The kitchen and dining space extend southward to a garden, offering another lighthouse vista and a strong indoor-outdoor relationship.

A standalone retreat building provides additional living space and storage. This allows flexible use without crowding the primary dwelling.

Context and Client Brief

The clients, Tom and Yvette, asked for a modern, connected family home that retains the ad-hoc character of the original property. Hollaway Studio aimed to preserve the spontaneity and irregularity of the site while delivering a coherent, durable residence.

The design emphasizes a careful composition of volumes and materials that read as a single, legible language. The project weaves Dungeness’s coastal conditions, the enduring shingle landscape, and the lighthouse horizons into a home that is both contemporary and rooted in its harsh environment.

Photography and Credits

Photography for the project is by Charles Hosea.

His images show how light, texture, and landscape come together in Westview Cottage.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Hollaway Studio continues “story of Dungeness” with Westview Cottage