Black House

Black House is a private new build house in Kent, completed in the summer of 2017 by Winchester-based architects AR Design Studio. The rectangular massing was divided into blocks by key site axes, a view from the pool to a large populus tree, and a previous path to the site. Each block is linked to a distinct aspect of the garden, with a final connecting view provided from the roof of a brick tower. The volumes were separated to create a central courtyard, with a cantilevering roof to tie the modules together. With each block linking to a different part of the garden, a journey around the functions of the house is experienced. The kitchen/diner is a 7.3m cantilevering room facing east to capture the morning sun. With floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors, the orientation provides expansive views across the orchard and vineyard. A panoramic horizontal window influenced by Margate frames the view from the formal dining room across the formal front lawn. The final aspect is the bedrooms, which are offered privacy and seclusion by the proximity of the woodland to rear of the house.