Set within seven acres of rolling Wessex countryside, Harefield Farmhouse represents the most personal and expressive project to date from architect James Bell, founder of Richmond Bell Architects (RBA) having been designed and built as a home for his own family. Completed in 2023 in the tiny village of East Orchard, the five-bedroom home is a striking combination of traditional Dorset materials, contemporary detailing and an intimate and profound understanding of landscape.
From the outset, Harefield Farmhouse was conceived not as an architectural statement but as a response to the contours, wildlife and character of its setting designed entirely off-grid. Bell wanted the house to be truly self-sufficient for the long term, capable of sustaining itself without reliance on external utilities. This decision was driven by both practical foresight and environmental responsibility.
“As an example, some people shy away from the aesthetic of solar panels,” Bell notes, “when in fact there is beauty in them; while they are sensitively integrated into their surroundings they are quietly harvesting energy and providing for the home.” For Bell, moving fully off-grid pushes the boundaries of what rural homes can achieve, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and contributing to long-term energy security. “It’s simply the right thing to do from an environmental perspective,” he adds, reinforcing the deep alignment between the home’s design ethos and its carbon footprint.
To appreciate the house, Bell insists, you must understand the land. “This house has to be seen and appreciated from the perspective of the land in which it sits. I absolutely love this landscape. It means a great deal to me.”
That deep connection is visible everywhere: in the rides cut through long grass for barn owls, in the discreet energy systems hidden within the terrain, and in the open views that flood the kitchen with three different frames of Dorset countryside. Roe deer regularly cross the lawn, owls nest nearby, and the entire design encourages a quiet coexistence between home life and nature.
The house itself combines Marnhull stone, forged during the Jurassic period and sourced locally, with timber window lintels, larch cladding and meticulous stonework – an interplay of classic materials with modern sensibilities.
Inside, Bell and his wife have created a layered but calm interior palette. Bold nature-themed wallpapers, carefully chosen artwork and sisal carpets echo the surrounding landscape while grounding the home in comfort and character.
RBA’s work increasingly focuses on sustainability and environmental connection – a philosophy sharpened through Harefield. “As a design company, we are in a position to educate clients. Buildings and the landscape are always interconnected, and it’s about trying to get the message across to clients that these buildings are living, breathing entities,” Bell explains.
His awareness of sustainable materials and nature-focused policy initiatives continues to shape the firm’s direction, alongside a desire to create exceptional homes rooted in nature, craftsmanship and sensitivity to place.
Harefield Farmhouse, while a family home, also stands as a milestone: a project that reflects RBA’s values grounded in collaborative design and empathy with the environment. Harefield captures a moment of creative clarity in the architect’s career – one defined by harmony between building and landscape, and by a quiet confidence that continues to put clients at ease.
Team:
Architects: Richmond Bell
Photographers: French+Tye
