Fair View

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Location
Rural Newark

Project Type
Replacement Dwelling

Services
Architecture and Planning

Status
Planning Approved

Description

Fair View is a contemporary replacement dwelling within a Nottinghamshire conservation area, designed to sit comfortably within its historic and rural setting. Close to a Grade II listed water tower, the project required a careful balance between a confident contemporary design and a sensitive planning approach.

The project began with the client’s desire for something very different from the large period home she had previously occupied. Rather than simply downsizing, she wanted a home designed around the way she now lived — calm, efficient and deeply personal. Inspired by Scandinavian architecture, the brief centred on simplicity, natural materials, carefully framed views and a strong connection with the landscape.

Working from the inside out, the layout was shaped around the client’s daily routines. The open-plan kitchen, dining and living space forms the heart of the home, opening directly onto the south-facing garden through generous glazing. Upstairs, the principal bedroom is paired with a private lounge, creating a quieter retreat while maintaining views across the garden. Flexible ground-floor spaces allow the wider family to gather for celebrations and larger occasions.

Externally, clean gabled forms and vertical timber cladding take subtle cues from traditional agricultural buildings, allowing the contemporary house to sit naturally within its rural surroundings. The front garden and carefully considered planting further soften the architecture and strengthen its relationship with the landscape.

Visualisation of a contemporary architect-designed home shaped by Scandinavian design and its rural setting.

A defining feature is the generous first-floor balcony and deep roof overhang across the rear elevation. Developed through solar analysis, the overhang provides shading to the south-facing glazing, reduces summer overheating and shelters the terrace below, creating a comfortable transition between house and garden.

The design also embraced sustainable and future-ready living from the outset, with the simple form suited to efficient construction methods and dedicated space for low-carbon technologies.

Fair View brought together a deeply personal brief, Scandinavian influences and a sensitive response to its historic setting, creating a contemporary home that is calm, individual and designed around the way its client lives.

Discover the full story of Fair View, from the initial brief through to the planning process and final design, on our blog post here: Read the arcticle

Design Haus Architecture
5 Portland Road
West Bridgford
Nottingham NG2 6DN

studio@designhausarchitecture.co.uk
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