Coille Beag, Cambridgeshire

Snell David for private client
Contract value: undisclosed 
GIA: 370m²

The owners subdivided their plot in a Cambridgeshire village to create a smaller, more manageable home for their retirement. The brief was for a design that would respond to the character of the woodland, with open-plan living spaces and enhanced accessibility. The ‘wings’ of the ground floor extend out from the double height core, negotiating a path between trees to achieve optimal views out, while creating external spaces that capture sunlight. The in-situ cast concrete is exposed and the timber framed first floor is clad in vertical blackened larch slats, taking cues from the village vernacular.

See the rest of the East shortlist here. And all the RIBA Regional Awards shortlists here