Project Red: contrast and balance

"From construction of the main house, all the way through to the bespoke joinery and fittings, Barr Group managed the process with the utmost skill and care,” says Jeffrey Lee, project architect. “The building is a testament to the shared vision of the entire team.

"It is always a privilege when a client entrusts you to design them a home, and in the case of Project Red, where the client was himself an architect, a deeply collaborative relationship was formed," continues Jeffrey. "From the word go, there was a desire to create a building which is rooted in the landscape. The sloping site not only informed how the internal and external spaces would best be positioned to take advantage of the views, natural light and changing seasons — but allowed the architecture to extend into the landscape, forming an enclosed courtyard and open entertaining spaces. The architectural and landscaping schemes have both been elevated through their interconnection and contrast.”

The scheme comprises a standalone replacement dwelling, a separate studio building, and extensive landscape works within the green belt and Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We recently had the pleasure of returning to the site, Grand Designs style, two years on, to see the completed project in its full and blooming glory!

At Project Red, the architecture of the property and its landscaping are united by the principles of bold modernism and precise delineation — but where the former is purposefully angular, the latter is flowing and irregular. The combined result is one of ease and balance.

The main dwelling and studio are composed of traditional materials that nod to the local vernacular. The ground floor is made of thermally insulated composite blocks clad in knapped field flint, and the oak frames of the upper walls are clad in shou sugi ban cladding (a Japanese technique of protecting timber with a charred finish). Outside, the sloping site is subtly segmented by means of Corten retaining walls, stone steps, and paving.

"Working on a technically and logistically challenging project, alongside three individual architects, where one is also the client, could have been daunting," says Fred Kirkness, Barr Build Contracts Manager. "However, through working openly and collaboratively, in an environment in which each person's area of expertise was valued, the project was a great success and hugely rewarding for all involved."

The dwelling maximises natural energy sources, with a roof-mounted photovoltaic array and air-source heat pump fulfilling the property’s energy needs. Solid oak sliding screens allow occupants to reduce solar gains by actively shading internal spaces while also changing the external appearance. The highly insulated, airtight structure, with energy-efficient timber and aluminium composite windows, is ventilated by a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system. A sedum roof, which blankets much of the dwelling and the studio, provides a further, highly effective layer of natural insulation.

Internal spaces are organised to encourage visual connectivity, to each other and the landscape, with large expanses of glazing supported by oak-framed structures, enhancing the strong indoor-outdoor connection. Cabinetry throughout, by Barr Kitchens and Barr Joinery, reflects the high-quality materials and expert craftsmanship seen throughout the scheme. A bespoke feature staircase, made of folded steel plates, cantilevers from a concealed structural frame clad in rich walnut timber-slatted panels.

Outside, the scheme contrasts from uncompromisingly angular to gently curved. Landscape architect Ian Kitson, known for his sweeping curves and organic shapes, admits he is no slave to the architecture of a building, believing instead in giving the landscape its own energy, identity, and character. Although seemingly random, Ian’s scheme is precise and exactingly proportioned. The team can attest that he spends nearly as much time on his hands and knees, chalking out segments, as he does at the drawing board!

“Working for an architect-client meant that certain ground rules were required,” says Ian. "At Project Red, the dwelling and landscaping schemes needed to interface to create a dynamic sense of place, but each needed to maintain its own identity.”

The soft landscaping at Project Red, created by garden designer Julie Toll, tells its own wonderful story of colour and texture. Carefully layered planting combines playful grasses and bold perennials, offering constantly changing, year-round colour which sits against bold curved Corten steel walls and pathways of offset ovals.

Two years on, at the interface between the structural elements of the dwelling itself, and its hard and soft landscaping, lies the beating heart of the overall Project Red scheme — a wonderfully successful collaboration and one of which the Barr Group team is extremely proud to have been trusted to deliver.