Velvet Magazine April 2017

Property
LASTING LEGACY
Landmark home, The Tree House, will be a
lasting legacy to young Suffolk architect
A house designed by one of Suffolk’s top architects is about to be
constructed, four months after his death in November last year, at
the age of 39. Before he died, Mark Savin, who lived with his wife
Sarah in Bury St Edmunds, came up with plans for a building called
‘The Tree House’ on a one-acre site in Great Barton.
Now that the plans have been approved, local company Bakers
Construction is about to build the property, after which it will be
sold by regional estate agent Bedfords, with an asking price of
£1.25m.
Bedfords Partner Emmerson Dutton said. “The Tree House will be
a fitting tribute to Mark and his work. It’s a unique and individual
home which will be a lasting legacy to a remarkable man. He was
a gifted and talented architect, passionate about his projects, as
well as his TVR sports car and the Danish toy bricks, Lego. His
memory will live on in this building, which is now on the point of
construction.”
The Tree House will be a three storey property, covered externally
with cherry wood cladding, and with views of the historic woodland
in which it is set from all sides. The clever design means that the
main body of the living accommodation is on the highest level,
with the living areas and kitchen/breakfast room on the second
floor. The three bedrooms occupy the mid-floor, served by
two bathrooms. The ground-floor entrance to the property has
immediate access to a boot/utility room, cloakroom and study.
There are terraces and planters at every level.
Great Barton is a much-favoured village because of its close
proximity to Bury St Edmunds, a mere three miles away. The
village itself has a shop and post office, as well as a garage, church
and primary school
Emmerson Dutton explained: “The brief for The Tree House
was clear from the outset - to ensure the house owner was lost
amongst the outstanding woodland plot with every view from the
living accommodation forming part of the canopy of ancient trees.
Mark was incredibly passionate about contemporary design and
sustainable living, and his excitement was clearly felt by those that
worked alongside him.”
Mark, who was President of the Royal Institute of British
Architects (RIBA) in Suffolk and President Elect of RIBA in the
Eastern Region when he died, had founded his own firm Infinity
Architects in 2014, Aoife O’Gorman. He had spent the last year
living his life to the full after recovering from a mountain-biking
crash in August 2015.
Emmerson Dutton added: “Mark Savin was a kind and gifted
individual who was taken from us far too soon. But his vision will live
on in this stunning property, which when finished will not only be
one of the most incredible in Suffolk, but also the whole of the UK.”
Bedfords
15 Guildhall Street, Bury St
Edmunds, IP33 1QD
Tel: 01284 769999
www.bedfords.co.uk
Velvet Magazine | April 2017 85