The clients had long owned a decaying five-bedroom 1956 cedarwood bungalow on a glorious 1.75 acre south-facing site bordering the Thames between Marlow and Henley-on-Thames. They commissioned the RIBA in 2005 to help find an architect to design ‘A Country Villa for the 21st Century’ that would stand the test of time, be a family house, but support them as they entered old age. It was to be as much a permanent record of design and construction excellence as the 18th Century mansion. The project was divided into two phases so the clients could remain on site. A Corten-clad cross-laminated-timber gatehouse with studio, office, garage and one-bedroom flat, was completed by a contractor in 2013, with the main house being completed and the clients taking up residence In 2017. *As a former director of Amin Taha Architects, Sarah Griffiths RIBA has been involved from projects inception in 2005 to its final delivery in 2017. RIBA South Award 2018 - Amin Taha & Sarah Griffiths RIBA Project Architect of the Year Award - Sarah Griffiths