A transformed farmhouse design that local planners rejected, saying that it would be “detrimental” to the area, has been named house of the year by the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Judges praised House on the Hill near Lydney, Gloucestershire, for enhancing an “already lovely setting” that looks over the Wye Valley. The extension to the original building has a green roof planted with native wildflowers to reduce rainwater loss and grounds scattered with wildflower meadows and orchards. But plans for the home were initially rejected because they were deemed not “respectful” of the original Georgian house.
Jenny Clifford, the owner, a retired psychotherapist, said that the planners were “more in the Prince Charles camp of architectural design”. She added: “They wanted pastiche, Georgian, rather than a modern building.”
Her husband David, a retired advertising executive, said that they decided to move from Islington in London to the country 15 years ago. Unable to find a suitable home in their desired area, they bought Windward House, on the southern edge of the Forest of Dean. The house needed work and the project grew when they struck up a working relationship with Alison Brooks, the architect.
The local planners, however, were “decidedly against” the project in 2008. Papers show that the council took issue with the size of the extension and the proportion of the windows.
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One document read: “By virtue of its mass, volume and design of windows, the proposed extension would be out of scale and character with the original dwelling and would be detrimental to the visual amenities of the area.”
The Cliffords appealed against the decision and an independent adjudicator found in their favour. The building works took two years followed by two more years of gardening and landscaping.
Despite the initial refusal, Mr Clifford expressed sympathy with officials, who he said were overworked and underpaid. “When something comes along which is outside their experience, they tend to say ‘no’,” he said.
The award judges said that the extension’s deep brown fibre cement cladding recalled “the darkness of the nearby Forest of Dean”. They added: “The landscape around the house connects it with its garden and is outstanding. The project enhances an already lovely setting.”
Heat pumps and solar panels reduced the building’s overall energy consumption. The property was encircled by hedges that had been renewed with pollen-rich species of plants. The house also has a gallery for an Indian and African sculpture collection.
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“From the skylights to the walls and the cruciform steel columns, the angles throughout the house are intentionally skewed and undulating, echoing the topography of the adjacent meadows, and drawing the eye onwards to new and surprising focal points,” the judges said. “Niches, benches and recesses add to the fluidity and playfulness of the space and provide practical areas to display the owner’s art.”
Simon Allford, the institute’s president, said: “This geometric design skilfully fuses together the old with the new — connecting two architectures separated by over 300 years. Intriguing and distinguished, House on the Hill is the impressive result of a ten-year collaboration between the homeowners and their architect. This is a labour of love in architectural form.”
Brooks said: “This accolade is a testament to my client’s belief in the value of architecture and their willingness to embrace the new.”
The winner was revealed last night on the final episode of Grand Designs: House of the Year on Channel 4.
