An existing damp and tired two storey 1930’s brick built dwelling, set at the highest point of this idyllic rural landscape setting with commanding views over the Sussex landscape below was the starting point for this challenging project. The brief called for the design of a replacement environmentally sensitive dwelling, that would provide a significant increase in living space for this growing family, and provide space for future extended family needs and home working alike. As environmentally conscious patrons, the clients project ethos was established from the outset to capitalise on the use of engineered timber as the primary design material, and to use only natural building materials throughout as the project’s palette, with the proposals to be honestly expressed of material and making. With the steeply sloping site entered from its highest point in the South West, and the land falling away towards the long distance views in the North East it was agreed early in the process that the house should be orientated to repond to the natural contours of the site to take best advantage of the views and that the design should have a low impact ground hugging profile. The subsequent design is a composition of stepped and shifting single storeys, the volumes of which have been conceived to create physical and visual interplay.These stepped storeys traverse the terrain naturally connecting the internal living and sleeping spaces protected under the umbrella of common connecting roof planes. The zinc clad roof planes have significant over sails creating both shade and weather protection and through the fine roof edge profile allows the rainwater to be celebrated as it falls in sheets from this gutterless roof design to landscape catchment channels below. Externally the house is clad in black stained vertical timber, the varying timber profiles proposed creating a varigated and shadow rich surface treatment contrasting with the natural finish of the exposed timber ceilings, internal joinery and clay plaster interiors. Project to completed in 2019. Shortlisted for RIBA South-East Regional Award 2022