House in Buckinghamshire House of the Year 2015

Flint House wins House of the year

A house made from pieces of flint, designed for one of the world's richest families, has been named the best new house in the UK by the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects). A very local project to Sky House in Buckinghamshire contrasts natural products with large pieces of architectural glazing.

Commissioned by Jacob Rothschild, lord of the Waddesdon Manor estate in Buckinghamshire where the house is located, Flint House is a wedge-shaped home and has been described as an architectural sculpture for living in. Designed by architect Skene Catling De La Pena, Flint House was announced as the winner during a special four part TV series for Channel 4, Grand Designs: House of the Year.

The home has been crafted from chalk and flint, inspired by and linking the building directly to the surrounding geology site and landscape. The pieces of flint were arranged particularly to create a tonal gradient leading into the smooth angled chalk. 

RIBA judges described this carefully crafted home “as a marvel of geological evolution and construction, Flint House is a celebration of location, material and architectural design at its best."

Internally the spaces carefully frame the landscape and provide a rich sequence of spaces including a small stream of water that passes through the main part of the house. The generous windows and balconies connect the house to countryside seamlessly. The large slim frame windows and doors take full advantage of the countryside views and create that indoor-outdoor living experience. The slim frame doors around the property ensure the natural light is maximised within the home creating brighter open plan living spaces.

This is a beautiful addition to a beautiful landscape.