The proposed house is a Paragraph 80 dwelling, situated in a tranquil area of greenbelt to the north of Preston.
Our main challenge was to maintain a domestic scale whilst accommodating the extensive space requirements of the client’s brief, yet also giving the property a presence commensurate with a ‘grand house in the English countryside’. Historical references have been drawn from the traditional Roman Villa, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie houses and the traditional country house with associated ancillary buildings.
Our concept proposes an elegant and beautiful house. One that will offer a calm and serene sanctuary from everyday life but will also provide a dramatic and exciting series of spaces that fully integrate the landscape and the surrounding context, creating a home that has both legibility and clarity. The site is split into two along its east west axis by a brook and dense copse of trees. This created a natural break to allow a separate vehicle entrance away from the house. The approach drive is reminiscent of country houses, meandering through natural grasslands before crossing the brook and opening to the vista of the house.