Happily, there were mature trees – several of them – within a garden that spoke of years of gentle pottering. Family ties to the property, and the 70s house that occupied the land, ran deep. But while the owners felt a sense of guardianship, they were less enamoured by the chill wind that blew through in winter, when minus-degree overnight temperatures took the gloss off the nostalgia.
RTA Studio co-founder Richard Naish became their design lead on a new dwelling, one that leaned into the essence of the low-slung original. His modern interpretation weaves around specimen oaks in a courtyard house that pays homage to history and memories.
A split-gable plan steps down with the land, setting up a programme of two pavilions: one, on the lower level, for living; the other for the main suite and three additional bedrooms, each with a deck leading to the lawn. More commonly a garden is wrapped around a house. Here it is the inverse: the built form carves out intimate pockets of greenery that are at the very core of the design. The entrance passes by a pair of birch trees that are integrated in the welcome. A covered terrace acts as a connector between the kitchen and main suite. A patio leading from the living room enjoys the shelter of green giants rooted in the decades.
While silver-toned and dark Abodo cladding aligns with the palette of the treescape, shuttered-concrete planter boxes contain grasses and wildflowers that soften the edges of the architecture with colour and movement. Sliding battened screens can be opened or shut to react to the elements and a concrete half-wall between the dining and living zone echoes the hardscaping outdoors.
Now that the owners are retired, they spend more time, through all seasons, in this high-performing house that was recognised in the 2025 Southern Architecture Awards. Already they have hand-crafted furniture, filled the bookshelves and re-built the garden shed – small, low-key acts that quietly and respectfully continue the story.