Located in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the Suffolk countryside (UK), the ambition of the project was to create a house featuring an uncompromisingly modern design of the highest sustainable standards, whcih could also be sympathetic to its surroundings.

Description by Studio RHE
A lime tree crescent avenue provides clues and glimpses of the modern glazing and zinc structures beyond the existing gable end brick walls. Once inside, the carefully defined views reveal a choreographed sequence of spaces that function as a simple three-room house for the client couple. When additional accommodation is required, the entire space connects to include the adjacent re-purposed galvanised black barn as an undercover external play space. The grain of the existing buildings on the site and the requirement to raise the ground level above the 100-year floodplain created a linear plan combining the existing disparate agricultural buildings and new modern vernacular forms with a new glazed axial gallery.
The building?s orientation provides open views to the Southern elevation. External courtyards provide shelter from strong prevailing winter winds or else cool outdoor spaces in which to relax during summer months.
The house features a rich mix of traditional local materials including reclaimed hand made Suffolk brick and terracotta tiles, galvanised steel, flint and green oak which connects directly with the new laminated timber and steel frame, oversized framele...