Our first standout listing of the year is an example of contemporary architecture at its finest. There’s nothing like a home that marries exceptional design with eco credentials – and this extraordinary living space, built on the fringes of  York by Vincent & Brown in 2019, does exactly that.

The current owner – a builder who collaborated on the project – set the brief. And it went as so: create an eco-friendly modern home in a rural location just outside York. The first task for local architects Vincent & Brown was to score the right piece of land. They successfully won planning permission to demolish a derelict commercial unit on this plot just four miles west of the city, which was formerly home to a taxi office, and assemble their residential new build.

The second challenge was to ensure the home was as green as its surroundings, so they set about designing a space with low energy at its heart. In our opinion, one of the most pleasing aspects of this single-storey home is the wooden exterior (made of precision-engineered timber, to be exact). Aesthetically, it’s in keeping with the natural surroundings, but it also provides superior levels of insulation, ticking the all-important boxes of both form and function.

But it’s the exquisite use of glass that gets the gold: full-height expanses of glazing form the vast majority of the façade. It sure makes a statement from the outside, looking like anything but a conventional rural home. Step into the living area and you’ll find breathtaking views of the great outdoors: mature gardens with apple and pear trees, a pond frequented by geese, and nearby woodlands home to pheasant and deer. If it’s a relationship with nature you’re after, say no more.

Did we mention the house is south-facing? Natural light subsequently pours through the glazing throughout the day. Limestone, Corten steel and Siberian larch make up the internal material scheme – a trio that balances the industrial with the raw. The open-plan living, kitchen and dining area, an exercise in spatial design measuring 1,800 sq ft, at once calls for entertaining and relaxing; hosting and retreating. Thoughtful elements, such as the modern fireplace, home cinema and tranquil winter garden, are brilliant finishing touches.

So as far as eco-friendly countryside retreats go, we’re rating it a five out of five. While we’ve seen many homes in our time, this one-off residential project looks and feels resolutely contemporary in the very best way. For now, then, we sit firmly in the camp of in with the new.