Our top 5 Rural Homes [& Landscapes]

This month we’re sharing our favourite homes in the countryside. These are houses which take advantage of, and enhance, the beautiful landscapes in which they’re sited. We’re often asked to look at isolated plots in stunning landscapes so we’re always interested in how others work in these idyllic settings. These are a collection of the projects that have inspired us recently.

We’ve also asked Simon Hall, as a Landscape Architect and regular collaborator on our NPPF55 projects, to give us his guest expert choice…

Shearer’s Quarters House – John Wardle Architects

This has a lovely mix of cheap robust cladding and a beautifully bespoke interior. The house’s sculptural form sits in the folds of the site and feels very rooted in its place. [Paul]

Tinhouse – Rural Design

This is an elegant and well thought through minimalist and cost effective design. It’s great that the magnificent view is at the centre of the design [Julie]

Marika Alderton House – Glenn Murcutt

Built as a prototype structure in response to the Australian authorities attempts at poorly accommodating masonry homes for Aborigine communities, the Marika Alderton House’s unique form and materiality is a result of its negotiation with the tropical climate of the Northern Territory of Australia.

Despite criticism suggesting it has willfully disregarded the mobile nature of the native aborigine culture, it has been conceived in a way that keeps it cool during intense and near perpetual heat, as well as lifting itself above the ground to alleviate severe flooding; whilst also keeping the spiders and snakes out! [Liam]

Coromandel Bach – Crosson Architect

I love the effortless simplicity of this New Zealand beach house. I also love the fact the main living space can be opened up on two sides which really blurs the line between indoors and out. [Alan]

Casablanca II – Teresa Moller

Inspired by their spellbinding recent lecture at #Landscape50, we have selected a landscape architect who has created beautifully understated landscapes within countryside and coastal settings. Chile based Teresa Moller described a series of commissions that show great restraint. The introduction of purposeful lines, forms and features truly enhance the stunning natural and agricultural settings. [Simon]

For this month’s post we’ve invited Simon Hall from PWP Design to share his favourite countryside based project. PWP Design are an imaginative Yorkshire based landscape architecture practice.