Private Client
DEDRAFT have recently completed our second and most complex private new-build home in rural Oxfordshire.
The house features three splayed linear wings orientated to make the most of the dramatic vistas over the valley it overlooks. Located to the south-west of the Grade II listed parkland the house nestles on the highest point with the land dropping of beyond. Proposed as a series of stacked rectilinear volumes the ground floor is finished in grey Cotswold stone rooting the building with the undulating terrain. The first-floor, housing the sleeping quarters is clad in a large-format, light grey fibre-concrete rainscreen with deep punched window reveals both offering glimpses or vast panoramas of the stunning landscape that surround it. These punctuations in the fabric control the passage of light and shadows across the day whilst the depth of the outer walls is exaggerated, bolstering the feeling of security that is contrary to the vast expanses of glazing that sit between its mass.
Upon entering the house, a large, sweeping staircase offers the first hint as to its immense scale. Each of the wings splay from the double-height central atrium separating each floor in definitive living spaces in which to hang out, work, cook, sleep etc. Visible through the stacked double-height hallway windows a swimming pond takes one’s view beyond the raised terrace which also serves to plant the contemporary house and landscaping comfortably in its mature surroundings.
The interior features five large bedrooms (all ensuite), a reception, family living, playroom, utility and boot room, guest quarters with an extensive basement featuring a dance studio/home cinema, games room and a garage accessed via a deep ramp that winds its way between oppressive concrete walls and wildflower planted banks, giving maximum protection from the elements.
Architecturally the exterior features a heavy stone base with a lightweight upper structure, overclad in a combination of super thin, fibre-concrete panels and immaculately detailed coated aluminium profiles. Sliding aluminium windows and doors featuring solar glass disappear into the wall cavities leaving uninterrupted views, whilst limiting solar gain.
SD engineers have designed a large-span steel frame, eliminating the need for large numbers of internal columns, whilst permitting wide panoramic openings. The first floor is constructed in lightweight metal to reduce the overall loads whilst allowing for a quick site fabrication and better integration of both windows and building services. The house is serviced by its own borehole, heated via ground source heat pumps and powered with the aid of roof-mounted solar panels.
Internally the materials palette is wide and varied but leans towards a combination of tactile, natural finishes (clay plaster, stone, oak floors, metal), many of which display the visible workings of the craftspeople whose toil is now on display. Where the mass of the house was to be accentuated we have opted for a more monolithic finish and where the juxtaposition of materials adding layering to the spaces, such as the study and reception, multiple materials have been used in a variety of scenarios without overpowering the backdrop. These details took intense collaboration with Katie Grove Interiors and the client, leaving no stone unturned, both before and during construction to bring a coherence to the aesthetic as well as a vibrance to what is now a lively family home.
The expansive private landscaping forms part of a larger vision and working alongside Emma Griffin the house, pond and gardens sit composed within considered, but restrained grounds. Listed planning conditions restricted the extent and type of planting permitted, leaving much reliant upon wild grasses as original intended by the Capability Brown himself. Surrounded by mature woodland the adjacent parkland is now inhabited by deer, who add a special feel to the already spectacular country estate.
Taking into consideration the expansive basement level the house compromises a nett floor area of 1300sq.m but with over one-third of this located below or partially below ground the house does not appear overbearing within its mature historical setting.
Project services –
Lead Consultant
Listing Planning Consent / Amendments
Discharging of Planning Conditions
Technical Design
Oversee Tender Process
Construction Drawings
Site Attendance during Construction
As-Built Drawings
Design Team.
SD Structures – Structural
Will Potter Building Services – M+E
Anderson Associates – QS
Emma Griffin Garden Design – Landscape
Katie Grove Interiors – Interior Design
ACT Surveyors – Approved Inspector
CH/PK – CDM PD
Border Archaelogy
Shape London – Custom joinery
Muto – Custom doors, joinery
aBureau – Kitchen
Newland Solutions – AV
Contractor.
Completion. April 2024
Photos. Felix Speller