Wiltshire House, located in Wiltshire, United Kingdom, is a Victorian residence revamped by YARD Architects in 2017. The refurbishment includes a contemporary rear extension featuring black zinc cladding. Designed to offer open-plan living accommodation, it showcases playful reinterpretations of pitched roof profiles.
Inside, the roofs define distinct zones such as dining and living areas, complemented by a suspended fireplace and folding doors that open to garden and countryside views. The design aims to blend with the scenic surroundings while maintaining a modern aesthetic.
Set in the countryside of the North Downs in Surrey, England, McLean Quinlan‘s 2023-designed Downland Barns is a timber-framed home. This newly built house creatively fuses traditional craftsmanship with modern design, incorporating sustainable features. Its three interlinked structures, enclosed by a flint wall, offer unobstructed countryside views and balance practicality and elegance in every detail.
Hidden within a Grade II listed arboretum in Hampshire, Woodland House by McLean Quinlan has a timber framework with expansive glazing for dappled light throughout. Designed in 2023, the private home has a rendered exterior made of recycled materials and an indoor tree. Balmy grey and oat-brown hues of crafted oak and neutral furniture add subtle texture to the informal interior, designed to “embrace” its wooded surrounding and “minimise both operational and embodied carbon emissions”.
The 1028 Villa by Kanisavaran Office in Mahmudabad, Iran, is a modern residence designed in 2024. The project presents a contrasting facade that is solid from the alley view and open from the riverside, reflecting a philosophy of harmonizing nature and architecture. The villa emphasizes a connection to its environment, adhering to climatic conditions without creating rigid boundaries, resulting in a contemporary form that respects its surroundings.
Murka Hotel is a newly designed hotel completed by Thinking Design in Wenzhou, China. Part of a rural revitalization initiative, the project aims to entice urban citizens to the countryside and encourage young locals to return home.
The design incorporates staggered blocks, local rocks, and trees penetrating through the roof to create a visually cohesive extension that blends with the mountains and honors traditional culture.
YARD Architects completed The Finned Extension in London, UK, in 2021, adding privacy, natural light, and impactful materials to a home reconfiguration.
Villa Sidonius by Stempel & Tesar architekti is a striking house on a steep northern slope in Černošice, Czech Republic, designed in 2024. Maximizing views of the Berounka Valley, the prefabricated structure features an innovative, bridge-like design on pillars to overcome site challenges. Inside, a cozy living space leads to a sunny terrace and garden, emphasizing modern architectural experimentation.
William Tozer Associates wrapped timber around the Rectilinear Intersect house in London, which references Gordon Matta-Clark’s Conical Intersect. A mirrored wall doubles the open-plan space, while frameless, rectangular glazing slices through the rectilinear building volumes. The wood-lined interior enhances the sense of interiority, evoking traditional salons and nooks. On the top floor, openings continue the lower floors’ exterior design strategy inside a traditional mansard building form.
