Kent house is inspired by the Brownie camera
London architecture studio TP Bennett principal director Doug Smith reveals Haus on the Ridge, a Passivhaus home in the Kent countryside

Edmund Sumner - Photography
The Brownie, the series of photographic cameras made by Eastman Kodak in the early 20th century, inspired Haus on the Ridge, reveals the architect and owner of this Kent house, TP Bennett principal director Doug Smith. Nestled in the green English countryside, the home, created with project architect Sam Clarke, is not only a striking family abode, but it’s also conceived according to the principles of sustainable architecture and follows strict Passivhaus standards.
‘As architects we all dream of designing and building our own home. Having taken an early interest in the Passivhaus concept, this project gave me the perfect opportunity to challenge myself and Sam, bringing together clean, minimalist, exceptional design with Passivhaus sustainability credentials,’ says Smith. His wife, Wendy, adds: ‘The Passivhaus provisions give a level of comfort to the design standard and more. The simple, predominantly open-plan living space, with its incredible interaction with the outside space and the rural setting, makes living in the house a joy.’
Kent house nods to the form of a Brownie camera
Drawing on the site’s long, natural views of a protected valley, the house has a low profile, split into three distinct elements – in the same way the Brownie is. Two more solid-looking wings flank a glazed central element that acts as the home’s ‘lens’. This opens up to amazing green vistas and hosts a generous, open-plan living space. Four bedrooms are located on either side of it.
Eco-friendly strategies include careful insulation with rockwool quilt, triple-glazed openings and an all-round airtight construction; shading that helps control interior temperatures; and mechanical ventilation with a heat recovery (MVHR) system. You wouldn’t be able to tell, though, as all technical aspects are carefully hidden within the home’s raw materiality, which is mostly composed of concrete, steel elements, lime-washed oak joinery and white plastered walls.
All of which come together seamlessly in this Brownie camera-inspired Kent house that feels entirely at home in its steeply sloping, south-facing hillside in rural England.
INFORMATION
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Remembering X-girl’s notorious 1994 fashion show, which starred a pre-fame Chloë Sevigny
A new book by Angela Hill, ‘X-girl Show’ – featuring an introduction by Chloë Sevigny – documents the cult label’s renegade 1990s fashion show, which took place in New York and captured a changing underground look
-
How to spot a fake Lamborghini: inside the sports car manufacturer’s Polo Storico division
Fake or fortune? We talk to the team of Lamborghini experts who can spot a priceless classic from a phoney
-
Meet The Good Plastic Company, rethinking the way we use plastic
This creatively responsible brand supplied, and recycled, the plastic plinths used in Wallpaper’s Milan Design Week exhibition. Here’s how it is reimagining the use and reuse of the contentious material
-
Kengo Kuma’s ‘Paper Clouds’ in London is a ‘poem’ celebrating washi paper in construction
‘Paper Clouds’, an installation by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, is a poetic design that furthers research into the use of washi paper in construction
-
Foster + Partners to design the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II
For the Queen Elizabeth II memorial, Foster + Partners designs proposal includes a new bridge, gates, gardens and figurative sculptures in St James’ Park
-
Wolves Lane Centre brings greenery, growing and grass roots together
Wolves Lane Centre, a new, green community hub in north London by Material Cultures and Studio Gil, brings to the fore natural materials and a spirit of togetherness
-
This ingenious London office expansion was built in an on-site workshop
New Wave London and Thomas-McBrien Architects make a splash with this glulam extension built in the very studio it sought to transform. Here's how they did it
-
Once vacant, London's grand department stores are getting a new lease on life
Thanks to imaginative redevelopment, these historic landmarks are being reborn as residences, offices, gyms and restaurants. Here's what's behind the trend
-
Lego and Serpentine celebrate World Play Day with a new pavilion
Lego and Serpentine have just unveiled their Play Pavilion; a colourful new structure in Kensington Gardens in London and a gesture that celebrates World Play Day (11 June)
-
Inside Abbey Road's refresh: touring the legendary studio's new interior
Abbey Road gets an interior refresh by Threefold Architects, bringing the legendary London recording studio in tune with the 21st century
-
The Serpentine Pavilion 2025 is ready to visit, ‘an exhibition you can use’
The Serpentine Pavilion 2025 is ready for its public opening on 6 June; we toured the structure and spoke to its architect, Marina Tabassum