Pheasants by architects Sarah Griffiths and Amin Taha shortlisted for RIBA House of the Year

Set against the serene green landscape and waters of Henley-on-Thames, in the UK’s south, Pheasants is a single family home, within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The architects – a team comprised by Amin Taha and Sarah Griffiths – won the commission via an RIBA competition, a process fairly unusual for a residential project of its kind; but one which showcases the client’s dedication to quality architecture. The end result does not disappoint, with its strong geometric shapes in a carefully balanced juxtaposition between modern architecture and natural surroundings.
The team went through a near year-long planning process, but in the end there’s barely any compromise in their design. The house, for a client who had a great admiration for the work of Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, was after something simple and powerful, so the architects drew with sharp lines and a legible architectural gesture; an S-shaped volume out of concrete defines the design and appears to defy gravity, floating above green lawns.
The house's main volume is made out of concrete. Photography: Tim Soar
A landscaped garden surrounds the house, composed from a selection of terraces, some pebbled, others paved and some left green. These envelope a large reflective pool, which is flanked by bespoke benches in concrete. A Corten pavilion greets visitors and links the outdoors with the main house through a procession of garden surfaces.
Inside, cleverly positioned openings, some on the side facades, some on the ceiling, both enhance the interior’s visual and physical connection to the outdoors through panoramic views out, and ensure sunlight bathes the different rooms. Carefully crafted features, such as tactile Corten panels and polished concrete floors, underline the superior design quality and extra care taken when building this unique countryside home.
The Royal Institute of British Architects 2018 ‘RIBA House Of The Year’ award will be announced on 28 November 2018
The house sits on a generous plot in Henley-on-Thames. Photography: Tim Soar
The structure's strong, geometric elevation is a defining element in the design. Photography: Tim Soar
Set among green lawns, the S-shaped volume stands out in its context. Photography: Tim Soar
The architects made sure the residents can enjoy the outdoors from different parts of the house. Photography: Tim Soar
Lots of toplit spaces inside create a dramatic effect. Photography: Tim Soar
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Amin Taha Architects website
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).
-
The collections you might have missed this S/S 2026 menswear season
Between the headliners in Paris, Milan and Florence, a few off-schedule displays are deserving of honourable mention – from Martine Rose’s sexually-charged portrait of Kensington Market to Sander Lak’s appointment-only namesake debut
-
Meet artist Michael McGregor, using hotel stationery as his canvas
Michael McGregor unveils an exclusive postcard set made with notepads from The Luxury Collection properties in Minneapolis, San Francisco and Savannah
-
A nature-inspired Chinese art centre cuts a crisp figure in a Guiyang park
A new Chinese art centre by Atelier Xi in the country's Guizhou Province is designed to bring together nature, art and community
-
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
-
The 2025 Obel Award is scooped not by an architect or building, but by a movement
HouseEurope! has won the 2025 Obel Award; the non-profit organisation has been advocating for ecological and social transformation in the built environment
-
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