A self-build home for first-time buyers made with innovative U-Build timber building blocks

Featured on Grand Designs: The Street in 2019, Box House was designed for first-time buyers and self-builders, Chris and Roxie. The two bedroom timber framed home was constructed by the couple alongside Studio Bark and a team of architecture students as part of our No Building As Usual live build education programme.

Interior kitchen built using U-Build modular construction

A pioneering self-build community

Box House was one of ten pilot houses built side by side as the first street in Graven Hill, Bicester. The pioneering development of 1900 Custom and Self Build houses (CSH) is of national significance and was intended to help the government double the CSH market by 2020. The original two bedroom home took just four weeks to build, giving rise both to Studio Bark’s No Building As Usual programme, and the U-Build construction system.

U-Build: Designed for self-builders

The clients wanted to be involved in the construction of their house and were interested in the benefits associated with prefabricated housing. However, they did not have the budget to pay for an external contractor, nor the specialist skills to lead the build process themselves.

Studio Bark invented U-Build in response to the self-build nature of the project, in collaboration with structural engineers Structure Workshop. U-Build is a system of flat pack wooden panels that are stacked and bolted to form the house, and can be taken apart and reused at the end of its useful life. The off-site ‘CNC’ manufacturing process makes it a super speedy construction solution, while the simplicity of the blocks makes it an accessible method for self-builders of any experience level.

Soft contemporary living room at Box House

Double height dining room with timber details

Upper landing made with U-Build timber blocks

About the build

The spruce plywood shell and core of the house took just four weeks to construct. This was done by the client and a small team of architecture students, with the assistance of Studio Bark Projects. In the following eight weeks the internal fit-out (kitchen, stair and internal partitions) was completed by Studio Bark Projects. Contractors worked alongside to install mechanical and electrical services and the green roof.

This pioneering project took in total just four months to complete, proving the U-Build system as an accessible, quick, and affordable solution for self-builders of any experience level. This is in contrast to the Self Build Portal’s recommendation that a standard residential house may take 6-9 months to complete.

No Building As Usual

Box House was constructed over the course of summer 2017 by the client and a small group of architecture students, as part of Studio Bark’s live build education programme, No Building As Usual.

No Building As Usual seeks to bridge the gap between architectural education and the on-site application of architecture. Architecture students can graduate from university with very little understanding of materials, construction terminology, or technical detailing. The construction of Box House as a student build project enabled us to pass on these practical and professional skills. During the project, the brilliant student team lived ‘off-grid’ in a temporary campsite nearby made from reclaimed materials and including a luxurious composting toilet, a covered dining area and a hot shower.

Find out more about Bark student build projects.

An affordable and sustainable home

The whole life carbon impact of Box House has been reduced through a ‘fabric first’ approach that includes high-levels of insulation and inherent airtightness. All windows of the house were triple glazed, and the insulation is so effective that the building does not need radiators. A single loop of 22mm copper pipe is sufficient to provide background warmth; saving cost, materials and maintenance and adding a subtle design feature.

Natural materials were used throughout the home, from the timber U-Build blocks which were left exposed for a soft wood finish, to the sheep’s wool insulation.

Environmental consultants Atmos Lab measured the carbon for a U-Build house compared to a house built from traditional materials. The conclusion was that the embodied carbon for a U-Build house would be circa 238 kgCO2/m2 as compared to 550 kgCO2/m2 for an equivalent house built with traditional construction methods.

U-values were at passivhaus levels 0.15 Wm2K and airtightness is also predicted to be at passivhaus levels. The house benefits from a green roof and solar panel system.

What’s next for Box House in 2024?

Box House was originally designed for Roxie and her partner, but with the foresight to incorporate an extension into the plans allowing space for a family in the future. The foundations and a hidden doorway are already in place, so that the extension can be added when it is needed.

The extension will be intentionally very simple, making it both environmentally and financially sustainable. There will be no new foundations or floors, which saves dramatically on costs and minimises heat-loss. In order to retain the aesthetic of the cascading black boxes, Studio Bark plans to use naturally weathered locally sourced Douglas Fir cladding for the extension. This will create a clear delineation between the old and new parts of the home, retaining the short history of this very special house.

The extension will begin on site in Autumn 2024. Follow the build on Instagram.

Studio Bark Projects on site at Box House

Timber materials ready for construction at Box House

Box House built with U-Build modular construction system

“Studio Bark are a talented and dedicated team of young, ambitious architects who had the rare ability to understand exactly what we wanted from a home. Their expertise and industry knowledge transformed a loose concept into reality through special attention to innovation and detail. From start to finish they understood the brief and what our intentions were. It was a pleasure to work with them and I would recommend them to anyone wanting something distinctive and beautiful whilst allowing an appreciation for all your modern life demands.”

– Box House Client