We were asked to develop designs for a replacement dwelling on the edge of a village in north Yorkshire. The existing dwelling is set within a large garden with a sloping topography and numerous mature trees and is opposite a listed Hall.

A significant level change accross the site, large mature trees with substantial root protection areas and an existing orchard were all distinctive characteristics of the site which were to inform the design. Different areas within the gardens have individual qualities and would have light at different times of day, which was to inform the internal layout. Reducing the visibility of the house from the road and improving the setting of the listed Hall and surrounding dwellings were also key considerations.

In plan the house is set out in three wings which are shifted to sit among mature trees and an existing orchard, and to work with the site’s topography. The house and garden were designed alongside one another in collaboration with garden designer Jane Brockbank. This results in a fully integrated house and garden design which works with and enhances the site’s natural characteristics. The site is improved with significant new tree and herbaceous planting which both increase the site’s biodiversity and improve the setting of the listed Hall opposite. A largely single storey plan reduces the perceived scale of the house from the village. Two roof forms with different pitches give the appearance of two smaller dwellings from the lane, with a single storey green roofed pavilion linking the two.