We're moving fast! A January update on the development of the new reception building at Highcliffe.
As some of you may know, we have been extremely busy this year expanding Highcliffe. We are building 20 new beautiful holiday homes as well as a new reception where you will find our brand new gym, yoga studio and cafe – a sanctuary for all of our guests to enjoy whilst on holiday.
As January comes to a close, we wanted to give you a little insight into what has been keeping us busy for the past year, in particular the new reception which will be ready for you to enjoy this summer.
In early 2021, we started to lay the foundations for the reception.
We also started installing the enormous attenuation tank, which sits underneath our new car park. This tank provides a storage system for rainwater and surface water which is then released via a flow-control chamber to reduce the risk of localised flooding.
By the spring, the foundations were complete and the contractors started laying the blockwork. We had the most beautiful weather during this time, which made for a very happy building site!
The first photo below shows the main corridor leading from the reception entrance to the gym and yoga studio. The photo on the right shows the steel beams running across the yoga studio and the south-facing window which runs across the length of the outside wall.
By November 2021, the building is nearly watertight (minus a few windows)! The ventilation and air conditioning systems were installed and the first electrical fix was well underway.
The image below shows the same corridor as before, looking back towards the main door.
As well as the obvious benefits, the roof also has the important job of housing our solar panels which will be used to generate and store electricity. We have used cedar cladding throughout the development as it is a beautiful, natural material.
As winter arrived, we battled some fairly hefty storms! Luckily, the contractors were installing the plumbing for the showers, WC's and underfloor heating! All indoor work.
One of our favourite features is the roof lights. When we designed the building we wanted to create pockets of natural light to give a sense of the outdoors. There is one roof light running down the length of the corridor and we are using a beautiful oak panelling on the walls to create a warm, luxurious feel.
The screed floor was laid just before Christmas. The photo below also shows the bi-fold doors which will lead out onto our south-facing patio, where you will be served delicious food and coffee (or wine!).
The photo below gives a sneak peek into our interiors. Sample heaven!
Now in the depths of winter (but with some fantastic weather), the exterior is on its way to completion and the whole building has been made watertight. The next photo shows the main entrance.
Taken on a crisp January morning, these photos show the south elevation of the reception and the outdoor seating area. It’s going to be a sun trap!
The next few months will focus on the internal fit-out to ensure we are ready to open our doors this summer. We will be sharing more snippets on Instagram and Facebook as we progress, so do keep an eye on them too!
