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Designer Home Within A World Heritage Setting

This striking new home replaces an asbestos ridden poor quality single-storey bungalow. The new home is a bold and contemporary two-storey dwelling, set within the heart of the UNESCO Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site. We provided full architectural services, from initial concept design and planning support through to detailed construction documentation and on-site support.

A sensitive response to a historic setting

The site is located between two Scheduled Ancient Monuments, the world-famous Iron Bridge and the historic Bedlam Furnaces and lies within the Ironbridge Conservation Area. It also backs onto Madeley Road, which is lined with four Grade II listed buildings and several Buildings of Local Interest.

Given the exceptional historic and architectural significance of the area, the planning process required careful navigation. Our Shropshire architects collaborated with a team of specialists to produce a comprehensive set of supporting documents that assessed the design’s impact on nearby heritage assets and the surrounding landscape.

Key design decisions were made early to reduce the visual impact of the new building. The replacement dwelling sits slightly forward of the original bungalow but is set lower into the landscape to follow the natural topography. Surrounded by existing three-storey buildings, the new two-storey home is scaled to integrate harmoniously within its context.

Designed for modern family life

The house is tailored to suit contemporary living. Visitors are welcomed into a dramatic double-height entrance hall, with a modern staircase leading up to a gallery-style first-floor landing. The upper floor contains five bedrooms two of which feature en-suite bathrooms designed to provide comfort and privacy for the whole family.

On the ground floor, a generous open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area connects to the rear garden through large bifold doors, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor space ideal for entertaining and summer gatherings. A snug, playroom, office, utility, WC, and integrated single garage complete the flexible ground floor layout.

Materials inspired by Ironbridge Gorge

We carefully selected materials to reflect and respect the surrounding architectural heritage. The design takes cues from traditional timber-clad structures found throughout the Gorge, while also referencing more contemporary buildings such as the modern extension at the Jackfield Tile Museum. The result is a design that feels both timeless and modern, rooted in its context.

Thoughtful, contemporary architecture

This project exemplifies how contemporary architecture can sit comfortably within a historically sensitive environment. By working closely with heritage experts and the local authority, we created a sustainable and future-proof home that complements and enhances its remarkable setting.

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37 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reviews
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Your expertise has helped bring our vision for the new library to life, creating an inspiring space for our students.

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Telford College
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As well as our thanks, we would like to add our congratulations on steering our application to approval first time – with no hitches or refusals! This success, we feel, must be a result of your skill, expertise and carefully timed discussions and consultations throughout the planning process. – We have no hesitation in recommending your work.

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Mr and Mrs Pavard
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We engaged Johnson Design 4 years ago at the start of a big renovation and new build project. Matt Spinks has always taken our ideas or vague notions of an idea and turned them into something innovative which is both attractive and practical. We were delighted with the final plans which went straight through planning permission, even though part of the project was a Grade 2 listed renovation. As a project manager Matt has also been first rate and thoroughly supportive. We would not hesitate to recommend Johnson Design.

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Lynda Hall
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Once we found Johnson Design we didn’t consider looking anywhere else. They offer such a professional and comprehensive service which made the whole process of extending our house totally hassle and stress free. We had some brilliant designs which were exactly what we wanted and from there they helped us with all the small and big details and to find the right builders for us. They were on hand at any time to answer questions and queries for us and to communicate with the building company on our behalf. Their advice at every step was so helpful. Our double storey extension is now finished and we couldn’t be more happy with it.

We would highly recommend this team without reservation.

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Kat Williams, Wolverhampton
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I have now been living for two years in a house designed by Johnson Partnership. Matt Spinks and his team were our main contacts and we were delighted in the way they handled and developed our brief. The test of course is whether the house works as a home in winter and summer. This Johnson design passes the test with flying colours: the house meets all of our requirements for a comfortable, warm, airy and modern home.

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Mr Kitchen, Kinver
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It’s a refreshing change to have such good service these days. I really have no idea how your prices compare to other practices, but on the face of they look absolutely fine and look perfectly fair & reasonable, and if I’m honest, pleasantly surprising.

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Steve Woods
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It has always been such a delight to have you working in unison here with me and with difficult and sometimes impossible deadlines which we always managed to achieve.

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Maggie Etherington, Bursar for Newstead Wood School for Girls, Newstead Wood School for Girls
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A key element of our business ethos is to provide our clients with access to the very best expertise and specialists in their field, always looking after their interests. Partnering with like-minded companies, such as Johnson Design Partnership, ensures we fulfil this ethos.

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Sean Byrne, CEO at The Del Bosque Group, Sean Byrne, CEO at The Del Bosque Group