The house occupies a sensitive position inside the former walled garden of Clandon Regis, a Grade II–listed property designed by Sir Ernest George in the late nineteenth century. Enclosed by an eight-foot wall of historic local brickwork, the garden once functioned as a utilitarian horticultural space, traces of which remain in its rugged fabric, potting sheds and outbuildings. These remnants are absorbed into the design, reinforcing the site’s historic narrative.

A low, linear form references the greenhouses and service structures that previously animated the garden. The building is partially set into the rising terrain, allowing the roofline to remain discreet while forming a sequence of intimate sunken terraces. Large areas of south-facing glazing open living spaces to the garden, while a shallow-pitched roof provides solar shading in summer and admits low-angle winter sun for passive warming.

Materially, the house draws on the local vernacular through the use of brick, knapped flint and limestone, balanced by an expressed timber structure that introduces warmth and tactility to the interior. Natural insulation and lime-based finishes reduce embodied carbon and support a healthy internal environment.

A central living space, defined by an exposed timber roof and flanked by symmetrical bedroom wings, forms the heart of the plan. Retained outbuildings accommodate ancillary functions. Surrounding native planting and areas of wilding soften the geometry, while photovoltaic panels, ground source heat pumps, and a highly insulated envelope ensure low operational energy use.

Together, these strategies offer a sensitive, low-carbon model for contemporary living within a historically significant landscape.