A Frame Architecture  

Garden Buildings

Initially, ‘A’ Frame Architecture had no involvement with garden buildings. However, having followed the development of garden buildings with some interest, the company noted that many of the buildings supplied were only suitable for use in the summer.

Garden building structures do not have to comply with building control legislation. As such, there are no incentives or guidelines for manufacturers to build low-maintenance, low-energy structures. By definition, a garden building structure is detached, with all walls and roof exposed to the external temperatures. Should you wish to use a garden building all year round, keeping it cool in the summer and warm during the winter, it is likely that, in a garden building which does not adopt current building standards, the energy costs would be equivalent to heating the entire ground floor of a modern three-bedroom house.

In 2005, ‘A’ Frame Architecture began developing a series of garden building structures for use 365 days of the year. In doing so, the decision was made that all of the buildings would comply with building control requirements as a minimum standard, with a design life of 80 years plus: the same design life identified for modern housing.

exterior of garden building exhibited in Hampton Court, 2006.
Hampton Court
2006
 interior of garden building exhibited in Hampton Court, 2006.

Planning: With regard to planning, all garden buildings designed by ‘A’ Frame Architecture come within the permissible development guidelines set out by the deputy prime-minister’s office in section B of ‘Planning: A Guide for Householders’. As such these structures are unlikely to require planning permission provided they meet the following criteria:

  • The overall height of the building is not more than 4m for a pitched roof and 3.5meters for a flat roof
  • The total floor area does not exceed 30 square metres.
  • The building is not sited in a conservation area.
  • The structure is sited at least 5m from the house.

Whilst ‘A’ Frame Architecture will undertake bespoke design and construction, it is often not necessary as many of the pre-designed buildings will have a number of options for locations of windows and doors etc, together with numerous window / door types and various roof and wall materials and finishes.