Set within a countryside estate, surrounded by water and mature trees, Green House was designed by Devon based David Sheppard Architects. Located in the small town of Tiverton, in the country's south west, this is a house created sensitively around its context and quietly in peace with its surrounds – and it is the final project to be added to the RIBA House of the Year shortlist for 2019.
Appearing at first as a triangular wedge in the landscape, but then perceived as more rectilinear from other angles, the building had to negotiate a steep slope, to which it owes its quirky outline. The architects cleverly navigated this challenge by freeing the volume's form from traditional shapes and helping it blend into its environment with larch cladding, minimalist dark window frames and a green roof. The timber exterior has been sourced from the estate, making this construction process a very local affair.
Inside, a piano nobile at the heart of the volume – the middle level – features full height glazing with dramatic, long views over the site. Bespoke deep window seating is placed at branch level, looking down onto the ponds. Up a staircase, a similar library seat makes for the perfect reading nook, and the bedrooms have been strategically arranged with privacy in mind.
RELATED STORY
Design specialists Pringle & Pringle worked on the interiors, using materials such as fine plaster and ply veneer to sculpt the space.
‘This is a crafted building created by an intuitive mind,' said the RIBA House of the Year jury of Green House. ‘It appears on the landscape as an organism that has moulded itself to its environment. It rests upon the topography to dramatic effect. This is a wholly original house.'
However, in the end, was the house's overall dynamic form that really intrigued the jury: ‘The external experience of the house changes as you move around it, there being no attributable front or back.'
INFORMATION
-
Korean designer Yoonjeong Lee tells ordinary stories in extraordinary waysWallpaper* Future Icons: Yoonjeong Lee's work is based on a fascination for utilitarian objects, from pencils to nails, recreated with innovative casting methods
-
Inside architect Andrés Liesch's modernist home, influenced by Frank Lloyd WrightAndrés Liesch's fascination with an American modernist master played a crucial role in the development of the little-known Swiss architect's geometrically sophisticated portfolio
-
Volvo’s quest for safety has resulted in this new, ultra-legible in-car typeface, Volvo CentumDalton Maag designs a new sans serif typeface for the Swedish carmaker, Volvo Centum, building on the brand’s strong safety ethos
-
The RIBA Asia Pacific Awards reward impactful, mindful architecture – here are the winnersThe 2025 RIBA Asia Pacific Awards mark the accolade’s first year – and span from sustainable mixed-use towers to masterplanning and housing
-
Arbour House is a north London home that lies low but punches highArbour House by Andrei Saltykov is a low-lying Crouch End home with a striking roof structure that sets it apart
-
A former agricultural building is transformed into a minimal rural home by Bindloss DawesZero-carbon design meets adaptive re-use in the Tractor Shed, a stripped-back house in a country village by Somerset architects Bindloss Dawes
-
RIBA House of the Year 2025 is a ‘rare mixture of sensitivity and boldness’Topping the list of seven shortlisted homes, Izat Arundell’s Hebridean self-build – named Caochan na Creige – is announced as the RIBA House of the Year 2025
-
In addition to brutalist buildings, Alison Smithson designed some of the most creative Christmas cards we've seenThe architect’s collection of season’s greetings is on show at the Roca London Gallery, just in time for the holidays
-
In South Wales, a remote coastal farmhouse flaunts its modern revamp, primed for hostingA farmhouse perched on the Gower Peninsula, Delfyd Farm reveals its ground-floor refresh by architecture studio Rural Office, which created a cosy home with breathtaking views
-
A revived public space in Aberdeen is named Scotland’s building of the yearAberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens by Stallan-Brand Architecture + Design and LDA Design wins the 2025 Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award
-
A refreshed 1950s apartment in East London allows for moments of discoveryWith this 1950s apartment redesign, London-based architects Studio Naama wanted to create a residence which reflects the fun and individual nature of the clients
