A home embraced by landscape



After a long search for the right location, our clients discovered a site with sweeping views over the South Downs, beautiful, tranquil, and rich in potential. It was previously occupied by a modest 1950s cottage that did little to connect with its extraordinary setting. What they envisioned instead was a place of retreat from London life, a contemporary, comfortable, and convivial home that would bring them closer to nature and allow them to share it with friends. They wanted something quietly confident, inspired by the landscape but unlike anything around it.




“We interviewed several architects over the course of a few weeks and narrowed our choice from the ideas that they presented to us. The architects’ responses to our brief and their initial interpretation of our needs were very important in our decision.  We chose Wilkinson King on the quality of their previous work and because we knew that the house we wanted would be designed specifically for us on the site.

The house is more than we could have expected it to be. Winning architectural awards demonstrates how the house is being seen as a success but for us living in the house is better than our expectations; the house works perfectly for us. We are spending much more time in Sussex than we had planned. The views from the house and garden are stunning and seeing out from various points such as the upper floors through the double height area is a delight each day.

We absolutely love our garden, designed by Landscape Architect Andy Sturgeon, the way it connects to both the house and the landscape beyond is a triumph.  We are looking forward to how it will mature over the years.”

Winner – RIBA National Award
Winner  – RIBA Award, South East Region
Winner – Structural Timber Awards
Finalist  – RIBA House of the Year
Finalist  – Architect of the Year Awards - Best One-off House
Highly Commended – Wood Awards
Shortlisted – ISE Structural Awards













From the outset, our design was shaped by the land. The house is conceived as a series of horizontal layers that echo the meadows and hills beyond. We developed a strong architectural language of connection, between inside and out, structure and site, material and atmosphere.



























To preserve the view and protect from prevailing winds, the house is entered from a formal garden to the north. From there, the building opens up dramatically to the south, framing the landscape through wide glazed openings. The upper level is made entirely from prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT), designed as a folded, undulating roof that mimics the profile of the distant hills. This expressive structure, assembled in just two weeks using advanced CNC cutting, became both a technical and poetic centrepiece.




























 

































































Natural materials throughout, exposed timber interiors, cedar cladding, solid stone, provide a sense of warmth and grounding. Large sliding windows, shaded overhangs, and carefully orientated glazing ensure seasonal comfort and energy efficiency. We worked closely with landscape designer Andy Sturgeon to shape the arrival sequence, courtyard, and meadow that complete the experience.










































































































The result is a deeply personal, highly sustainable house that feels effortlessly at home in its setting. It offers generous, flowing spaces for entertaining, yet also moments of calm and solitude, whether in the sunken courtyard, the bath overlooking the Downs, or beneath the shifting light of the folded timber roof.
































For our clients, it is both retreat and revelation. A place that feels alive to the seasons, grounded in craft, and always in quiet dialogue with the land around it.