Sliding House

The brief was to design a new self-built house to retire to, in order to grow food, entertain and enjoy the landscape. The site was a combination of rolling England and agricultural Holland, restrained by stringent planning parameters for rural development. An appreciation of vernacular farm buildings led to a manipulation of the local timber framed and clad 'shed' idiom. The resulting linear building is sliced into three distinct programmes: house, annexe and garage, pulled off axis to create a courtyard. The big surprise is a 20 ton mobile roof/wall structure that creates combinations of enclosure, open-air living and views according to position. This house offers radically variable spaces, shelter, sunlight and insulation according to season, weather, or a desire to delight.