Nithurst Farm by Adam Richards Architects

Created in structural concrete with a thick brick skin and a black zinc roof, the house is a stepped volume with distinct arched windows that add drama and a sense of motion to the design. This outline also echoes the hills around the building. Inside, a modest entrance opens up to high ceilings that create a cathedral-like feel in the open-plan main living areas, while the bedrooms are stacked in the tall end of the house, over a more formal living room, richly decorated with artworks and large openings that look out towards the leafy surrounds. Richards’ references range from the formal architecture of John Vanbrugh to Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky.