Planned as three linked, two-storey pavilions of similar dimensions to the adjacent listed villa, this 60-bed boarding house for Sevenoaks School feels more domestic than institutional, with a mix of social, communal and private spaces. Awarding Aisher House as a South East and National Winner 2022, RIBA said: “The new boarding house for boys […] combines a skilful response to a complex brief with a confident piece of placemaking”, where “the architects have demonstrated a sophisticated and intuitive understanding of this setting.” The heart of the House is a kitchen which opens into a large sitting room. A series of outdoor spaces are created around the pavilions for staff and students. Two houses for the boarding masters and a tutor’s flat are incorporated in the rear of the House, which have their own entrances and private gardens. Sited on the front lawn of a listed Victorian Villa, the House relates to its context sensitively. It is designed and built to near Passivhaus standard. The structure is of CLT, supported on a thin concrete raft, which minimises embodied carbon. The House is all electric, has MVHR ventilation systems and its heat comes from an air source heat pump installation. The programme for the project was achieved on a tight timescale – it was designed and built in 32 months.