A HOUSE overlooking the Cobb in Lyme Regis now has a stable future thanks to innovative engineering and design. 

The Crow's Nest was built in 1972 but the land became so unstable that half way through the planning process the existing house catastrophically broke in half one night during a landslip in 2014, making national news headlines.

Winchester architects AR Design Studio was approached by Andrew and Katherine Vaughn who were looking to extend their holiday home on a cliff top in Lyme.

Architects at AR Design Studio were then briefed to design a completely new home.

Working closely with engineers Eckersley O’Callaghan, an imaginative structural solution was proposed to prevent future failure.

A concrete slab was built into the ground, a series of strategically placed dwarf walls were then built on top of it. A floating structural frame was then laid on top of the walls to act as an adjustable raft in case of future movement. Beneath the frame, there are specific places for mechanical jacks to be positioned so that the house can be securely re-levelled.

The design concept starts as a traditional cabin-like-form that then splits, twists and rotates, resulting in four pods.

The extensive sliding glass draws one into the stunning coastline setting, with uninterrupted views of the English Channel beyond a floating timber deck.

The windows were put in by Heavers of Bridport.

Managing director Ross Heaver said: "It was exciting and challenging to work with such an innovative project. Heavers thrive with this type of challenge as it really showcases the next evolution of glazing systems.”

The Vaughns, who bought the property in 2011 said: “The Crow’s Nest is situated in a fairly unique location and we always knew that it would need an architect who would not only be sympathetic to that but who would also design a stunning contemporary house that did justice to its surroundings. AR Design Studio have designed a house that has exceeded all our expectations. From the moment we first sat down with the team we knew they understood exactly what we were looking for. The result is a home that we absolutely love.”