A water tower in west Norfolk has been named one of the best new buildings in the UK.
The Castle Acre Water Tower won a prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects award, a list of the best new buildings in the country for 2021.
The Water Tower before the renovations
– Credit: Dennis Pedersen and Mike Tonkin
Having been moved after the Second World War, the tower lay dormant for years.
It is now a second home, brought back into use by Tonkin Liu, a London-based architect.
The Water Tower at night
– Credit: Dennis Pedersen and Mike Tonkin
The water tank became the living area, and the steel frame was infilled to create other rooms.
The ground floor contains a games room and a toilet, as well as access to the second tower.
The stairs in the second tower
– Credit: Dennis Pedersen and Mike Tonkin
A second tower was added to create stability and allow access to the stairs and lift, connected to each floor by a glass bridge.
The first floor is the bedroom, with storage space and a bathroom.
Inside the Water House
– Credit: Dennis Pedersen and Mike Tonkin
Each of the rooms in the frame has a mezzanine level, accessed by a ladder.
The large windows of the frame all face north, overlooking the barley fields. This is to prevent light pollution in the village to the south.
Inside the Water Tower
– Credit: Dennis Pedersen and Mike Tonkin
The third floor is the former steel water tank, the largest room in the property.
This room features a kitchen, a dining room, and a living room, with panoramic views of the landscape and a large skylight.
The panoramic view from the water tank
– Credit: Dennis Pedersen and Mike Tonkin
The roof has a 360-degree sky viewing platform and solar panels to help power the house.
The building won the Custom Project of the Year 2020 at the Structural Timber Awards and the House of the Year over 500k 2021 at the AJ Retrofit Awards.
The Water Tower in Castle Acre
– Credit: Dennis Pedersen and Mike Tonkin
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