A Beautiful House
Competition entry for a new house in the Home Counties, England, working with FFLO
‘Design A Beautiful House’ was an international design competition seeking design proposals for a new home located on a 91Ha site within London’s metropolitan green belt. The brief asked for design responses to demonstrate a concept of beauty while providing a home that responded to the programmatic brief for the required accommodation.
Our submission took as its starting point the notion that a beautiful house must please all of the senses, but also the intellect. It must inspire intrigue and fantasy, and speak of itself as a world within the world.
![](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/03-Landscape-sketch-by-James-Fox.webp)
![Landscape sketch by James Fox of FFLO](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/03-Landscape-sketch-by-James-Fox.webp)
Landscape sketch by James Fox of FFLO
![View of house across the lake from the driveway, with the bridge in the foreground and walled garden beyond](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/01-View-of-house-across-the-lake-from-the-driveway-with-the-bridge-in-the-foreground-and-walled-garden-beyond.webp)
View of house across the lake from the driveway, with the bridge in the foreground and walled garden beyond
![Entrance court with garage entrance wing to left and lake in distance](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/02-Entrance-court-with-garage-entrance-wing-to-left-and-lake-in-distance.webp)
Entrance court with garage entrance wing to left and lake in distance
![Spatial concept sketch with open and closed rooms in enfillade along a main corridor 'spine'](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/04-Spatial-concept-sketch-with-open-and-closed-rooms-in-enfillade-along-a-main-corridor-spine.webp)
Spatial concept sketch with open and closed rooms in enfillade along a main corridor ‘spine’
![View from the entrance balcony overlooking the double height hall and the lake beyond](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/05-View-from-the-entrance-balcony-overlooking-the-double-height-hall-and-the-lake-beyond.webp)
View from the entrance balcony overlooking the double height hall and the lake beyond
![View along corridor towards living room](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/06-View-along-corridor-towards-living-room.webp)
View along corridor towards living room
![Looking from the dining room towards the inset loggia overlooking the lake](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/07-Looking-from-the-dining-room-towards-the-inset-loggia-overlooking-the-lake.webp)
Looking from the dining room towards the inset loggia overlooking the lake
![](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/01-View-of-house-across-the-lake-from-the-driveway-with-the-bridge-in-the-foreground-and-walled-garden-beyond.webp)
![View of house across the lake from the driveway, with the bridge in the foreground and walled garden beyond](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/01-View-of-house-across-the-lake-from-the-driveway-with-the-bridge-in-the-foreground-and-walled-garden-beyond.webp)
View of house across the lake from the driveway, with the bridge in the foreground and walled garden beyond
![Landscape sketch by James Fox of FFLO](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/03-Landscape-sketch-by-James-Fox.webp)
Landscape sketch by James Fox of FFLO
![Entrance court with garage entrance wing to left and lake in distance](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/02-Entrance-court-with-garage-entrance-wing-to-left-and-lake-in-distance.webp)
Entrance court with garage entrance wing to left and lake in distance
![Spatial concept sketch with open and closed rooms in enfillade along a main corridor 'spine'](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/04-Spatial-concept-sketch-with-open-and-closed-rooms-in-enfillade-along-a-main-corridor-spine.webp)
Spatial concept sketch with open and closed rooms in enfillade along a main corridor ‘spine’
![View from the entrance balcony overlooking the double height hall and the lake beyond](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/05-View-from-the-entrance-balcony-overlooking-the-double-height-hall-and-the-lake-beyond.webp)
View from the entrance balcony overlooking the double height hall and the lake beyond
![View along corridor towards living room](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/06-View-along-corridor-towards-living-room.webp)
View along corridor towards living room
![Looking from the dining room towards the inset loggia overlooking the lake](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/07-Looking-from-the-dining-room-towards-the-inset-loggia-overlooking-the-lake.webp)
Looking from the dining room towards the inset loggia overlooking the lake
The external expression, and internal spaces of our project are organized within an over-arching order, a classical order, which represents a universal approach to the containment of space and an architectural expression which transcends a subjective notion of beauty. It represents the ideals and aspirations of a timeless architecture.
We have sought a certain monumentality in our design, which is a recognition of the fundamental importance of home, and which in its physical form may be both weighty and immaterial. In an intellectual sense, the project may be read as a direct descendent of homes ancient and modern, refined and awkward, noble and humble. In a physical sense, the building shimmers across the lake’s surface, and at certain points in the house the arrangement of windows will allow the walls to fall away in perception, giving a sensation of hovering over the lake and parkland.
![](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/02-Entrance-court-with-garage-entrance-wing-to-left-and-lake-in-distance.webp)
![Entrance court with garage entrance wing to left and lake in distance](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/02-Entrance-court-with-garage-entrance-wing-to-left-and-lake-in-distance.webp)
Entrance court with garage entrance wing to left and lake in distance
![View of house across the lake from the driveway, with the bridge in the foreground and walled garden beyond](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/01-View-of-house-across-the-lake-from-the-driveway-with-the-bridge-in-the-foreground-and-walled-garden-beyond.webp)
View of house across the lake from the driveway, with the bridge in the foreground and walled garden beyond
![Landscape sketch by James Fox of FFLO](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/03-Landscape-sketch-by-James-Fox.webp)
Landscape sketch by James Fox of FFLO
![Spatial concept sketch with open and closed rooms in enfillade along a main corridor 'spine'](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/04-Spatial-concept-sketch-with-open-and-closed-rooms-in-enfillade-along-a-main-corridor-spine.webp)
Spatial concept sketch with open and closed rooms in enfillade along a main corridor ‘spine’
![View from the entrance balcony overlooking the double height hall and the lake beyond](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/05-View-from-the-entrance-balcony-overlooking-the-double-height-hall-and-the-lake-beyond.webp)
View from the entrance balcony overlooking the double height hall and the lake beyond
![View along corridor towards living room](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/06-View-along-corridor-towards-living-room.webp)
View along corridor towards living room
![Looking from the dining room towards the inset loggia overlooking the lake](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/07-Looking-from-the-dining-room-towards-the-inset-loggia-overlooking-the-lake.webp)
Looking from the dining room towards the inset loggia overlooking the lake
![](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/05-View-from-the-entrance-balcony-overlooking-the-double-height-hall-and-the-lake-beyond.webp)
![View from the entrance balcony overlooking the double height hall and the lake beyond](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/05-View-from-the-entrance-balcony-overlooking-the-double-height-hall-and-the-lake-beyond.webp)
View from the entrance balcony overlooking the double height hall and the lake beyond
![View of house across the lake from the driveway, with the bridge in the foreground and walled garden beyond](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/01-View-of-house-across-the-lake-from-the-driveway-with-the-bridge-in-the-foreground-and-walled-garden-beyond.webp)
View of house across the lake from the driveway, with the bridge in the foreground and walled garden beyond
![Entrance court with garage entrance wing to left and lake in distance](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/02-Entrance-court-with-garage-entrance-wing-to-left-and-lake-in-distance.webp)
Entrance court with garage entrance wing to left and lake in distance
![Landscape sketch by James Fox of FFLO](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/03-Landscape-sketch-by-James-Fox.webp)
Landscape sketch by James Fox of FFLO
![Spatial concept sketch with open and closed rooms in enfillade along a main corridor 'spine'](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/04-Spatial-concept-sketch-with-open-and-closed-rooms-in-enfillade-along-a-main-corridor-spine.webp)
Spatial concept sketch with open and closed rooms in enfillade along a main corridor ‘spine’
![View along corridor towards living room](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/06-View-along-corridor-towards-living-room.webp)
View along corridor towards living room
![Looking from the dining room towards the inset loggia overlooking the lake](https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/07-Looking-from-the-dining-room-towards-the-inset-loggia-overlooking-the-lake.webp)
Looking from the dining room towards the inset loggia overlooking the lake