A house with a view: Richard Parr Associates brings contemporary living to the country
Richard Parr Associates (RPA) has created a new family home on an extraordinary site anchored in the Cotswold escarpment, overlooking the final furlong of Cheltenham Racecourse and the stucco buildings of Cheltenham. The architects’ dramatic design springs from the hillside in two cantilevered wings that reach out to embrace a spectacular view. Taking a total of four years to complete, the result is a spacious, contemporary home that embodies the ultimate in modern living, with a rich palette of materials and technology working together in harmony.
Working closely with its client, RPA was commissioned to design a home that provides a restful sanctuary and engages with the extraordinary landscape setting. The main brief was to maximise the use of internal space with minimal formality whilst offering flexibility to accommodate home entertainment and family guests.
Located on a hillside, the new home was conceived as both architectural arrowhead and anchor. The most dominating feature of the architects’ design is the open, cantilevered arms stretching across the site, with a multi-level, diving board-like structure reaching out to long views of up to 50 miles. Using locally sourced materials including Cotswold stone and crisp white render echoing the white stucco of Cheltenham, RPA’s design aims to highlight the juxtaposition between the urban landscape and the Cotswold hills.
Spread over three floors, the interior of the home sees the materials paired down with flowing timber screens, adding warmth and a seamless flow to the multi-storey, interconnecting spaces. While the entrance hall plays a pivotal role in the overall design bringing the opposite wings together, ascent and descent is key in creating different ‘journeys’ for the family within the home. The main staircase focuses on simultaneously rising through and viewing the house, for as the staircase ascends, the pathway leads outside and back in again. Windows and screens are carefully positioned to provide a ‘live’ rendering of the weather and landscape, and act as controlled frames for the view.
In total the new home includes five en suite bedrooms, along with a living room, study, indoor and outdoor kitchens, indoor pool and spa, games room, and a home cinema.
Richard Parr, Founder of Richard Parr Associates, said: ‘This is an English country house but unlike one we’ve ever designed before. It’s an incredible site and we have reinvented the way the client enjoys the landscape, framing the views whilst removing barriers to enjoying it.’
