COURTYARD HOUSE
Undisclosed Location

Courtyard House is situated at the northern edge of a significant wooded site. As long-term guardians of the landscape, our clients’ home is intrinsically connected to its setting. Clad in blackened charred timber, the single-storey structuresits quietly amongst the surrounding trees, with expansive views and carefully framed vistas establishing a continuous relationship between architecture and landscape.

In plan, the home forms a perfect square, with cut-outs to the northern, southern and eastern edges creating a series of sheltered external terraces. At its centre, a planted courtyard garden pulls natural light deep into the plan and becomes the focal point around which the internal spaces function and interact.

Associated directly with the courtyard are the open-plan living, kitchen and dining spaces, characterised by an expansive polished concrete floor and eight-metre-long glulam beams spanning overhead. The courtyard and external terraces create a sequence of interconnected inside and outside rooms, opening the otherwise rigorous geometry of the plan towards the surrounding woodland. One wing contains a series of dual-aspect bedroom suites, whilst the other accommodates a snug, study and guest room, establishing a simple hierarchy between communal and private spaces.

Sustainability is woven into the architectural and construction principles of the project. The highly insulated timber frame incorporates triple glazing, an air-source heat pump and an array of photovoltaic panels. Cross-ventilation is inherent within the architectural layout, supplemented by an MVHR system to maintain a healthy internal environment throughout the year.

The resulting architecture is deliberately quiet and elemental; a low, darkened timber form organised around landscape, light and courtyard, intended to settle further into its wooded setting over time.