New-build house

The project of the house in Colares stared with a topographical research in mind, finding the most dramatic cliff between Cascais and Cabo da Roca, for a weekend house, on the west coast of Portugal, at the closest point to the Americas on European land. The site is located in the Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais, just between the famous Lighthouse of Cabo da Roca and the nearby Santuário da Peninha, it is part of a territory which is constellated by windmills and local production of wine. The plot itself has first been spotted on Google Maps and has been further investigated for planning permissions to the local authorities, it is located at the very end of the Rua das Piroletas in the one and the only land left unbuilt since the... More

Holm Place is a new dwelling in the rural village of South Warnborough, Hampshire, UK. Planning permission was granted in August 2014, and the project was completed in July 2017.The 0.12 hectares site is located in the upper garden of Manor Court, a 17th century Grade II listed building which is situated in the South Warnborough Conservation Area.The design of the house aims to build a successful relationship with the listed building, utilising materials and forms that are reflective of the scale and proportion of the site. The sensitive siting of the design together with an exemplary architectural response sought to enhance the character of the area.Manor Court is surrounded by a generous garden which itself is bounded by protected mature... More

The brief required a large contemporary family house that would take advantage of the lovely views over the fields and the Solent beyond. The site lies within an Area of Special Character that is made up of predominantly traditional pitched roof houses, so the design of the new house had to mediate between the clients desire for a contemporary house and the planners requirements for a pitched roof form. The design also had to appear modest from the front to respect the 2 storey properties either side. The resultant form is a house that appears as 2 storeys from the front, but whose roof rises up to 3 storeys at the rear to give expansive open views across the fields. The pitched roof and large chimney to the side echo the character... More

We were given the kind of brief most young aspiring practices dream of: to design a contemporary house in a wonderful location overlooking the sea. The twist here was that the house had to be highly accessible whilst avoiding the ‘institutionalised’ feel that many homes for people with impaired mobility occasionally suffer from. The site presented us with a few challenges. First of all, it was set between 2 traditional, low lying thatched cottages identified as being of architectural significance. Secondly, the views out to sea were only achievable at first floor level, and thirdly, the front, less-private side to the plot faced south meaning there would be a conflict between the road and the proposed garden that would front onto it.... More