This project proposes a new-build detached family home in Hertfordshire, set well back from the road as with other houses on the street, within a landscaped plot. The house is conceived as a private, contemporary residence that balances architectural clarity with a strong connection to its natural surroundings.
The design adopts a restrained palette of brick and dark timber, creating a modern yet contextually grounded aesthetic. The composition is defined by clean horizontal lines and carefully proportioned volumes, with the darker timber elements providing contrast and warmth against the solidity of the brickwork. The building is partially screened from the street by soft landscaping, reinforcing a sense of arrival and seclusion.
At the heart of the home is a double-height entrance hall, forming a dramatic central volume that organizes the internal layout. This space introduces natural light deep into the plan and establishes a strong visual connection between levels, enhancing the sense of openness and spatial hierarchy. From here, the ground floor unfolds into a series of generous living spaces oriented toward the garden, with large areas of glazing framing views and enabling seamless indoor–outdoor flow.
Sustainability is a key driver of the design. A green roof integrates the building into its landscape setting while contributing to biodiversity, reducing rainwater loads and improving thermal performance. Solar panels are incorporated discreetly to support on-site energy generation to power an air source heat pump, and the building fabric is designed to achieve high levels of efficiency through insulation, airtightness, and passive solar strategies.
The upper floor accommodates the principal bedrooms, arranged to balance privacy with outlook, while maintaining the clean, cohesive material language established below.
At the far end of the garden, a separate swimming pool building provides a dedicated leisure space. This ancillary structure echoes the architectural language of the main house, using complementary materials and proportions, and is positioned to create a sense of progression through the landscape. The pool house acts as both a functional amenity and a visual focal point, terminating views from the main residence and enhancing the overall composition of the site.
Overall, the scheme delivers a carefully considered contemporary home that combines robust, natural materials with refined detailing, sustainable design strategies, and a understated elegance and simplicity.
A new build contemporary two-storey home in a leafy suburb of Hertfordshire that maximises the use of the South light, through a dramatic double-height interior.
