Axis Mason
Taking impressive double honours in the Jersey Architecture Design Awards 2022, Axis Mason scooped a ‘Win’ for their Taigh-Dubh project and a ‘Highly Commended’ for their impressive work on the ‘Harry’s Garden’ scheme.
Harry’s Garden
Highly commended in the Best Landscape Architecture category, Harry’s Garden was created at Jersey College for Girls to commemorate Harry Zambon and his enduring legacy to support others.
Axis Mason donated their skills and time to transform a neglected area of the school grounds into a peaceful green space for students.
Design and construction was led by Sharon Shepherd, Harry’s mother, after he died in 2019 aged just 25 from an aggressive form of brain cancer. Despite gruelling treatment, Harry bravely campaigned tirelessly to raise money and awareness for the Jersey Brain Tumour Charity. The garden was made possible by the incredible fund-raising efforts of Sharon Shepherd and Jersey College for Girls.
The challenging topography of the site was remedied by the introduction of a curving retaining wall. Painted purple it provides an eye-catching pop of colour, possesses a sculptural quality and adds shelter and enclosure to a rounded seating area.
A curving path further snakes down the hill to make the space fully accessible. Timber composite benches were commissioned, each made with recycled fibres and each with a radial form. Permeable resin-bound aggregate is used across the pathways to provide sustainable urban drainage and an aesthetic warmth through use of golden stone aggregate.
The planting has been designed with a prominent floral palette of white, silver and purple. Evergreen foliage and the use of specimen silver birch trees ensure seasonal interest, even in the depth of winter.
Taigh Dubh
Winning the ‘Best Small Scale New Build’ category, this modern interpretation of the Scottish Highlands’ ‘black house’ or ‘Taigh Dubh’ includes a two/three bedroom main residence and a separate one-bedroom unit. The barn-like form of the building is also a reference to the traditional agricultural and farmstead buildings found in Jersey.
The interior of the main house features an open plan design, although with clear divisions between the various living spaces, which include a bespoke kitchen with a workspace that flows smoothly into an open-plan living/dining area.
This welcoming social area is a key architectural feature of the house and is designed to be the heart of the home. The space rises to double volume to the north and connects horizontally and vertically to the remainder of the property and the garden beyond. There is also a ‘snug’ or third bedroom, shower room, and utility room/pantry.
Upstairs is the master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe, en-suite double bedroom and house bathroom.
Externally, there are numerous attractively planted and landscaped private areas designed for easy maintenance, together with a single garage and parking space for three vehicles.
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