REF: uk_022
Black Stained Cedar House in Dungeness

About

Completed by Glasgow based NORD, Shingle House re-imagines the site of a 19th century fisherman’s cottage as a cluster of contemporary pavilions. Set within the stark landscape of Dungeness, a vast shingle expanse defined by low vegetation, open skies, and coastal infrastructure, the house offers a distinctive and highly atmospheric setting for film, photography, and narrative work.

The design draws directly from the site’s vernacular and material history. Approached almost as an archaeological study, the architects developed a composition of separate volumes for sleeping, cooking, bathing, and socialising, connected by glazed walkways that allow movement while maintaining visual separation. Externally, black stained timber cladding echoes the tarred fisherman’s huts found across Dungeness, while pale concrete elements introduce contrast and structure within the composition.

“The blackness suddenly reinforced the significance of the four adjacent structures, and instead of representing decay they were reinvented as bold, abstracted geometries acknowledging the past life of the site.” - Alan Pert, NORD

Inside, the interiors are restrained but materially rich. White oiled tongue and groove panelling is set against deep Purpleheart timber floors, creating a clear tonal contrast that shifts subtly with changing light. Bespoke furniture, carefully sourced lighting, and soft furnishings introduce warmth without interrupting the architectural clarity. Details such as Shaker style pegs, ebonised hardwood handles, and precisely finished concrete surfaces reinforce a consistent and tactile material language.

The primary living spaces are arranged to engage directly with the landscape. A large open plan kitchen and dining area frames expansive views across the shingle, with folding windows that open onto both the surrounding terrain and a more sheltered internal courtyard. The main sitting room, centred around a polished white concrete fireplace, offers a more enclosed and contemplative setting, while a mezzanine above provides elevated views across the site. Bedrooms and bathrooms are tucked into upper levels, including a small bedroom and bathroom ‘in the eaves’ and a mezzanine seating area overlooking the main living space, lending themselves to quieter, character led scenes.

Variation in pavilion scale allows the house to shift between openness and enclosure. Pivoting shutters, raised thresholds, and minimal terraces frame outward views while providing shelter from the elements. For production, this creates a range of spatial conditions within a single site, from exposed, expansive compositions to more contained and textural interiors, all unified by a consistent architectural language.