The ‘Ark’ is an elegant new house on an elevated south facing site in a conservation area. The original form of the building was based upon a ‘Devon Longhouse’ with further development seeing it conceived as two volumes to define areas of use, one for living and one for sleeping. Each window and habitable room has been uniquely positioned to capture a South facing view of the Taw Estuary. The form and external appearance of the house reflect the local vernacular, in particular a barn which once stood at the entrance to the site. The property incorporates sustainable design features, including solar PV, an air source heat pump (ASHP), rainwater harvesting and passive ventilation to create a low energy home.