Episode Information Trade Secrets Midlothian

Date Published:

17/06/2008

So, like Pru & Richard’s Grand Design, you've decided the countryside's for you but you're not into the barn conversions and cottages. How do you make sure your contemporary masterpiece slips noiselessly into the soft rural landscape?

This house in the New Forest does just that. Because the plot is surrounded by working farms, the architect decided to borrow elements from those buildings and incorporate them into the house's contemporary look. The result is a house with its roots firmly in agricultural architecture, but at the same time a thoroughly modern design.

A successful project in the countryside is about generating a wonderful juxtaposition - just doing something modern from the city and imposing it on the countryside doesn't work.

That's exactly why this house is such a success. The black zinc echoes the local slate; the weathered red cedar softens the geometric lines. The triangular gables are also reminiscent of old barns, connecting the contemporary with the vernacular. The cost of the build was £340,000, and it's hard to argue with value that looks as good as the house itself.

The irony is that it can be easier to get planning permission to build something modern in a conservation area. This is because your application will be judged by architects, rather than planners, and they are more likely to see the benefits of really good contemporary design. Apart from clever architecture, planners also like to see that the house you want to build is environmentally friendly.

This house in Norfolk was very much designed with that in mind, being built from materials primarily from sustainable sources. The owners did not want to compromise on the amount of light coming in, so they opted for insulated glass which cuts out UV rays whilst ensuring against heat loss. The green roof becomes an extension of the surrounding fields and adds an extra layer of insulation in an already well insulated house.

Using glass can be a problem because it's not the best insulator, but the rest of the build more then compensates for the glass used.

Both of these houses may be beautiful, but they are a bit pricey. Fear not, though, because there's a house in Norfolk that's leading the way in cost-effective and sustainable design.

This house was designed for a photographer and cost £245,000 to build. For three bedrooms, a study, a dark room and a separate art studio, that's a bit of a steal. It's so cheap because its prefabricated panels are made in a factory and then assembled on site, cutting down on construction time and therefore money.

There's no steel in the house at all, and by making all the structural framework from timber the architects have been able to achieve some remarkable things in terms of layout. Cedar shingles are used because they're both cheap and, in this case, responsibly sourced.

If you're thinking about building your rural dream then the absolute key is context. It has to fit in and not fight its location. And however good your ideas are, they're likely to get better by employing an expert.