Located in a tranquil corner of rural Norfolk, this RIBA award-winning house was designed by the celebrated architect David Kohn and completed in 2010.

The three-bedroom house, situated in approximately an acre of grounds, is arguably one of the finest examples of residential architecture built in this country during the last decade. A series of simple, vaulted spaces over a single storey, the design relies on the refined use of materials (such as shuttered concrete and painted brick) and careful craftsmanship of the construction.

The property is accessed along a farm track, off a quiet country road in a sparsely populated part of Norfolk renowned for its flat, long views and large skies.

Formerly a 19th century stable block, Kohn’s design kept fragments of the original building. The internal space is devoted equally to living space at one end and bedroom / bathroom space in the other. All rooms have wonderful views out across the south facing garden and to the open farmland beyond. The impressive living /dining room has floor-to-ceiling Crittall glazing with glazed doors that open out onto a concrete terrace and the gardens beyond. A beautifully light and airy room, it also features a large fireplace.

The kitchen / breakfast room is a modest, functional space with a skylight above. The east section of the building houses three bedrooms and a magnificent bathroom that has at its heart a large concrete bath designed specifically for the space by Kohn and sited to give garden views.

There is a small outbuilding on the plot as well as a driveway for the parking of cars. Most the one acre (approx.) site, however, is given over to a large, level garden that has been landscaped to include an area of apple orchard and wildflower meadow.

To read Kohn’s description of the house see the History section.

David Kohn is one the UK’s most admired young architects. A graduate of Cambridge University, he also studied as a Fulbright scholar at Columbia University before going on to work at Caruso St. John. He formed his own practice in 2007 and has since won numerous awards for projects across the world. He has become strongly associated with the art world, working on a number of galleries (including one for the current owner of the house at Haveringland) and the well-publicised ‘Room for London’, a boat-like structure teetering on the edge of the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s South Bank that he created in collaboration with the artist Fiona Banner.

Haveringland is a hamlet in rural Norfolk. There are plenty of countryside walks in the area (including through a large pine forest close by) and the celebrated North Norfolk coast, with some to the best beaches in Britain, is a 25 minute drive away. The historic market towns of Aylsham and Reepham are a short drive away and Norwich approximately nine miles to the south east. Norwich is a thriving small city with a diverse range of cultural, sports, dining and shopping opportunities. The Lanes, a series of medieval streets in the city centre (Norwich is the most complete medieval city in Britain), was recently a winner at the Great British High Street of the Year Award. The winner of the Great British Menu, Richard Bainbridge, has opened up a critically acclaimed restaurant, Benedict’s. There is also an international airport, marinas and boatyards (Norwich is the beginning of the Broads) and a Premiership football stadium. There are excellent schools in the area as well as the Norwich University of the Arts and the University of East Anglia. Norwich can be reached from London Liverpool Street in approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.


© Will Pryce
© Will Pryce
© Ioana Marinescu
© Ioana Marinescu

History

In an interview with the journalist Dominic Bradbury, David Kohn explained that “the relationship between the house and garden was central to the whole project”, going on to add that “the house really acts as a prism to experience the changing light through the day and the shifting seasons. Because the living room faces south the light is continually changing – every hour is different. It gives the experience of being at the house a vital character that’s both calming and refreshing.”

On his own website, Kohn has written his own description of the house at Haveringland:

Built on the footprint of a nineteenth century stable block, the building retains its long narrow plan and is divided equally into living and sleeping quarters, each room in the house opening directly onto the south-facing garden and views across the landscape.

The focus of the house is a large tent-like living room with continuous glazing to the garden and distant view. A large fireplace and entrance hall bookend the room and support the pitched roof structure. The glazing and entrance hall can be completely opened up in good weather, allowing the space to feel like a pavilion in the landscape.

The building is made of simple materials all found locally — profiled metal roofing, painted brick walls, timber cladding. However, careful attention has been paid to making the junctions between each building element as fine as possible. The result is a contextual architecture that feels contemporary and light.”

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