Studio Fuse were looking to utilise a Lazenby Polished Concrete floor throughout the entire ground floor of their new build home largely for two reasons. The first is the thermal efficiency which means that the concrete stays warm underfoot throughout the day and requires very minimal energy to heat. The second was because they loved the natural variation within the floor and how the changes in light creates some stunning effects.

“It was a natural decision to go with concrete,” says Daniel. “It has this lovely dappled variation to it and it changes throughout the day.”

One of the biggest challenges was creating the Water Shed’s ambitious floating concrete plinth which extends over the natural swimming pool. This detail was crucial to help connect the internal floor with the natural swimming pong outside which was a focal point for the family. Using an innovative shuttering system to support the floor, we built the plinth while the pool was empty before trowel-finishing by hand. “I couldn’t have done it without having the expertise of working alongside Lazenby,” Daniel adds. “When you’re dealing with a huge quantity of material and you also have to get that precision, you need to be in safe hands.”

Using a similar shuttering system we also poured three cast in situ benches and hearths. The shuttering system allowed the benches to be cast with minimal supports and therefore to appear as though they are floating.