Set within a country estate in the rolling Oxfordshire landscape, this project introduces a contemporary new building comprising a car gallery with guest accommodation and a studio above. The design is a considered architectural statement, balancing a crisp, modern form with a material palette that responds to the local vernacular, creating a structure that sits confidently in its setting.
A key architectural challenge was how to introduce a functional building between the entrance courtyard and a newly designed walled garden without creating a visual barrier. Our solution was to design the ground floor as a three-bay glazed gallery. Conceived as both a working garage and a display space, its full-height glazing on two opposing sides allows views to pass directly through the structure. This transparency ensures the building reads as a refined thoroughfare rather than a solid mass, preserving the visual and physical connection between the two distinct outdoor spaces.
The design carefully navigates the challenge of placing a modern structure within a traditional estate. The building’s form and restrained detailing, including the use of timber cladding, respond to the local architectural vernacular. This contextual approach is paired with a contemporary expression, ensuring the new addition feels both respectful and forward-looking.
Internally, the gallery’s character is defined by a polished, industrial-influenced palette of limestone flooring, polished plaster walls and an exposed concrete ceiling, creating a restrained backdrop for the vehicles within.
Above the gallery, a self-contained guest apartment and office studio provide a private retreat, independent from the main house. The apartment interiors were designed by Henry Smith, complementing the architecture with a calm, considered palette. A primary consideration was how to provide access to this upper floor without an internal staircase compromising the gallery’s open volume. This was resolved with a sculptural external staircase, an elegant feature that provides a private entrance while reinforcing the building’s clear, functional design.
The result is a functional and refined building that uses striking glazing to successfully connect two distinct outdoor spaces.
We designed a simple, yet elegant, pavilion-style home with light-filled interiors that enjoy panoramic views across the river Thames. The interior palette follows a contemporary and minimal aesthetic throughout, drawing the eye to the beautiful countryside surroundings.
The main living areas are arranged along the north-western façade, with utility areas situated to the rear. Clean white lines dominate the interior palette, with elegant marble accents throughout the open plan kitchen/dining spaces and bathrooms.
Expansive glass walls and windows give uninterrupted sightline across the length and breadth of the house, creating a bright and tranquil retreat to enjoy for years to come.
Set within an Oxfordshire estate, this elegant walled garden is designed as a thoughtful counterpart to a contemporary Car Gallery and apartment, creating a rich dialogue between modern architecture and a timeless landscape.
Paddle stone walls define the space, providing a textured backdrop for layered planting that brings evolving colour and form throughout the year. To either side, pleached trees introduce structure and height, framing the view towards a classic Victorian-style greenhouse at the rear.
A bespoke Corten steel water rill serves as a central architectural feature, its strong lines drawing the eye from inside to the garden beyond. This carefully considered detail introduces the gentle sound and movement of water, creating a multi-sensory experience.
At the garden’s heart, a David Harber Armillary Sphere creates a compelling focal point, complemented by curated Torc Pots. The result is a beautifully structured outdoor space designed not just to be viewed, but to be lived in.
Country Homes & Estates
Architecture
Landscape Design
Oxfordshire
Delivered
Lamburn Geekie, Henry Smith