This four-storey home forms part of a wider multi-plot development in Surrey, where our role was to design a family of houses that balanced individuality with a sense of shared identity. The site itself set the tone: a sloping, tree-lined plot with long views across green surroundings. From the outset, our challenge was how to create generous, light-filled homes that made the most of the land while respecting the local vernacular.
For this plot, the steep gradient gave us an opportunity to design a four-storey home that feels natural in its setting. By stepping the building down into the slope, we were able to introduce a lower-ground floor that opens directly onto a stone terrace and landscaped garden. This level provides a versatile space that can be used as a family room, gym, or studio — a private retreat that still connects seamlessly with the outdoors.
Above, we designed a wide first-floor terrace with glass balustrades, giving elevated views over the garden and beyond. The extensive glazing across the rear façade allows natural light to flood the living spaces on every floor, creating a sense of openness and connection to the landscape.
The pitched roof forms, finished in warm red tiles, deliberately reference the traditional architecture of Surrey, but with sharper detailing and larger openings to bring the design firmly into the present. Solar panels integrated into the roof underline the home’s modern sustainability credentials, while brickwork and subtle material changes at the base help to ground the building in its site.
As part of a larger development, cohesion was important. Each house had to sit comfortably alongside the others, but also have its own character. Here, the use of gables, clean modern lines, and layered façades helped to create a contemporary interpretation of a Surrey family home — one that feels substantial, rooted, yet unmistakably modern.
The result is a striking residence that not only maximises its sloping plot, but also contributes to the wider vision for the site: a collection of homes that respect their context while offering modern, light-filled spaces for family living.
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