Modernist home in UK conservation area celebrates nature
A rural house design by Scott Donald Architecture brings dark forms and modernist sophistication to a tree-filled site

When a new client approached Scott Donald Architecture, they came with a rare opportunity; a residential design commission without a specific brief, leaving the style and size of the project completely open and up to the architects. The site, an acre of greenery filled with protected trees in a rural area of central England, made the perfect setting for a new, dramatic, modernist-inspired house design.
The project, set in the Rolleston on Dove Conservation Area, near Burton upon Trent, UK, spans 550 sq m across two floors. The ground level hosts living spaces and a fitness suite, while four bedrooms are located upstairs.
The internal arrangement was carefully planned, and the house was designed to be very extroverted, wrapped in glazing, especially on the ground floor, and connecting with the landscape and its architectural gardens at every turn. The elegant openings, provided by Sky-Frame, populate an otherwise fairly blank façade, which is minimalist and clad in dark render and black slate.
Inside, the house contains clean, modern interiors furnished tastefully and peppered with the owner's personal art collection. The exterior's dark materials are exchanged for lighter ones inside, giving the space a more gallery-like feel. A mezzanine games room adds more space for family entertaining, while giving an overview of the living spaces below.
The house is semi-concealed in the mature trees, but its driveway and garage can be seen from the street, peeking out of the greenery. The main entrance, featuring a door covered in black powder-coated metal, reveals little about what lies within, but hints at the design sophistication of the house. However, ‘the solid ground-bearing mass of the front elevation is in stark contrast to the design at the back’, say the architects.
‘We wanted the connectivity and views to the garden to be unencumbered. For there to be effectively nothing between inside and out. To achieve this we had to make sure there was no visible structure along this 25m glazed line. All of the structure is pulled deep into the plan – it’s out of sight, invisible.'
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture Editor 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) and Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020).
-
Hella Jongerius named Honorary Royal Designer for Industry 2023
The Dutch designer received the Honorary Royal Designer for Industry 2023 accolade alongside creatives from different disciplines
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
London restaurant and tequila bar Ixchel brings Mexico’s timeless flavour to every sip and bite
On London’s King’s Road, Ixchel offers an unmissable fusion of Mexican art, cuisine and atmosphere
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Matthew M Williams is leaving Givenchy
American designer Matthew M Williams is set to exit his role as creative director of Givenchy after a three-year tenure
By Jack Moss Published
-
Arc Polo Farm’s charred timber clubhouse underpins its updated Surrey complex
Arc Polo Farm by DROO in Surrey, UK brings together Japanese sensibility and English countryside in a project dedicated to its animal residents and the beloved sport
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A sleek country house in the south of England maximises views and efficiency
Adam Knibb Architects has completed a timber country house that’s designed to gradually bed into the landscape
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
One Casson Square penthouse is the perfect setting to enjoy iconic London views
The One Casson Square penthouse interior by designer Portia Fox has been revealed in London, filled with bespoke furniture and captivating art
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
RIBA Photo Festival 2023 explores photography and the built environment
The RIBA Photo Festival 2023 runs 8 – 11 November, exploring photography and its powerful relationship with architecture
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
An art collector’s home blends bold pieces to craft a serene domestic haven
A collector’s home in London’s Kensington has been thoroughly reimagined by Edo Mapelli Mozzi of Banda
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Georgie Wolton’s No. 34 Belsize Lane in Camden gets Grade II listing
No. 34 Belsize Lane in Camden, London, by Georgie Wolton, is recognised as a modernist gem
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
One Crown Place apartment designs bring colour, fun and individuality to City living
One Crown Place apartment design by Angel O'Donnell is revealed, bringing fun and colour to City living
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
2023 RIBA Stirling Prize: the winner revealed
The 2023 RIBA Stirling Prize winner has been revealed, as the John Morden Centre is announced this year's best building
By Ellie Stathaki Published