糖心传媒

Whether it鈥檚 a reimagined farmhouse, a sensitive restoration of a manor house or a new-build nestled into a rural landscape, there鈥檚 rarely been such appetite for homes in the English countryside.  

鈥淭he distance between town and country has narrowed significantly,鈥� says architect . Those seeking to make their permanent home in the country expect more 鈥� better views, more light, larger rooms, no draughts or leaks, and technology that allows them to economically heat and run their houses for decades to come.  

Parr and his colleagues specialise in melding craft traditions with contemporary design. Paradise Farm for instance, a family home in six hectares of equestrian farmland in Oxfordshire. Influenced by the landscape and the local vernacular, it uses traditional materials such as Norfolk thatch, English oak and ironstone. The building is formed of two connected wings positioned around a top-lit glazed gallery.  

Paradise Farm in Oxfordshire (photographed by Rich Stapleton) was transformed by Richard Parr Architects

鈥淢ost people live in the present and love the past,鈥� says Parr. 鈥淏eing able to fuse those two together means you鈥檝e got all the benefits of the now and the future, as well as the materials, proportions and connection to the landscape.鈥� 

This approach means homes like these sit within local building traditions without dominating. 鈥淚 believe architecture should always relate to where it is,鈥� says Robert Cox, one of the design directors at . 鈥淚t can鈥檛 be solely what happened in the past. It needs to take inspiration from that and apply a language current to contemporary culture, trends and technologies.鈥� 

He recognises a turn towards informal living, even in grander properties. 鈥淐lients often want an open-plan, living-kitchen-sitting room and everybody lives in that central hub,鈥� he says.  

The culture of the country has also changed, Cox adds. Homes are becoming easier to manage, with technology that can be upgraded as it evolves. The practice has a fabric-first approach when it comes to historic restorations, while new builds can accommodate solar panels and ground or air-source heat pumps.  

Ancient Woodland House, extended by Tom Turner Architects (photography by Jim Stephenson)

Paying particular attention to materials, local crafts and building types is something that Sussex-based architect  also excels at, bringing a deep understanding of how historic properties can be sustainably adapted for contemporary life.  

鈥淎 lot of farmhouses have very small windows, low ceilings and cellular spaces. Our challenge is to create something that feels spatially generous, has more light and better connection to the landscape,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hen we ask, can it be built in a sustainable way? We challenge the traditional ways of building to make all these things work.鈥� 

Working with tried-and-tested building forms means that Turner鈥檚 projects are sustainably built and suited to local conditions. 鈥淭hese building forms come from their timber framing, which has far lower embodied energy than steel or concrete. So, working with timber makes it visually well suited to the place and grounded in the area.鈥� 

Richard Parr feels the same. 鈥淐ountry homes want to be born out of the land they鈥檙e built on,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he more this happens, the more timeless and enduring they鈥檒l be.鈥� 

Explore more of 糖心传媒鈥檚 country properties.