Our recent completion of significant project has brought with it a moment to reflect on the process and the origins of the design. When first visiting the site I was drawn to the undulating lines of the mediaeval ridge and furrow landscape. I realised that if we were digging up a field which had lain untouched for centuries, it was imperative that we create something borne from the landscape both in terms of its form, but also its materials and longevity.
From our first tentative thoughts on how we might create a home that is very much about living within the landscape, we conceived a house whose monumental thatched roof encloses two distinct machines for living. One which is open and expansive, for family living, eating and sharing and another which is more private and reflective, for study, library and guests. The brief showed us the way, but the landscape was just as influential with its undulating topography and extraordinary views. Nine years later we are celebrating coming to the resolution of this project and are taking pause to see just how we got there.
