House on the La Manche Coast18 photos

Wren's Nest is the name of a 180-square-meter house designed by AR Design Studio on the high cliff of La Manche in southern Britain.

The architects were faced with the task of designing an entirely new house. It is not surprising that the concept was based on the idea of shifts and offsets. The project authors worked closely with engineers, ultimately finding a poetic structural solution that prevents future damage.

A concrete slab was built into the foundation, with a series of strategically reinforced mini walls embedded in it, upon which the main structure was erected.

The spatial concept was inspired by the shape of a traditional gabled house, which was then divided into several parts that were offset and rotated relative to one another.

The result is a house clad in beautiful rough-sawn larch, consisting of four volumes.

The clearly defined entrance volume, the smallest of all, leads through a hallway into the central space—the main living room, connected to the kitchen and dining room. Large sliding glass doors immerse visitors in a breathtaking view of the La Manche stretching beyond the wooden decking of the terrace.

On the second floor, the tower section contains a large open-plan bedroom for the owners, located above a children's bedroom, utility room, and first-floor bathroom.

The right wing of the house at the opposite end consists of guest rooms—bedroom, two additional rooms, and a bathroom. This entire section can remain closed when not in use.

Photography: Martin Gardner