Tableau of trees and man-made form
South West Regional Award 2019
Secular Retreat, Devon
Atelier Peter Zumthor with Mole Architects for Living Architecture
Contract value: Undisclosed
GIA: 375m²
This house is set on a Devon hilltop, with Monterey Pines for company. It is bold, strong, enigmatic and sculptural. It has presence but at the same time a low visual impact in a high location. The siting works from all angles, the wildness of the place captured in this tableau of trees and manmade form. The architectural vision and ambition has been executed without compromise and is testament to a committed and hands-on client, engineering expertise and a team of local craftsmen. It is an innovative and groundbreaking use of rammed concrete paired by beautiful timbers. The mass and weight of the concrete cantilevered above is impressive, while the firmness and permanence cocooning you is palpable, a feeling that it will last longer than us.