RIBA 2021 House of the Year winner was rejected by planners.
The RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) have announced the winner of the RIBA House of the Year 2021. House on the Hill near Lydney Gloucestershire has been crowned the best one-off house designed by an architect in the UK.
Partnering Channel 4’s Grand Designs’ Kevin McCloud, writer Michelle Ogundehin and architect Damion Burrows explored the best of the best. The competition hails and inspires excellence and innovation in home design. It sounds straightforward enough but the fabulous homes which have featured on the longlist featured fantastic design and excellence, many different styles, shapes and sizes.
“We’ve had some really interesting conversations in our office over the past few weeks where personal views have been so passionately supported. Our clients have been involved too, inviting our views and voicing theirs too. We love it when passion and interest is triggered around design” said Perry Mears of west country professionals Peregrine Mears Architects.
Perry continued “The planners refused permission for the plans for the modern extension of this traditional 18th century stone farmhouse. I share Alison Brooks Architects view that when considering an addition to an historic building, a distinct contrast is an honest approach that respects the past rather than tries to recreate it will lead to a better overall result, never better illustrated than here.”
With The Water Tower in Norfolk as the runner up, the contrast could not be greater; the discussions and debates will endure. Viewers of the programme slammed this as awful; the ugliest house they’d ever seen. The judges clearly loved it!
The long list included the widest range of styles and sized homes, each with their own idiosyncrasies, all with real merit justifying their inclusion in this prestigious annual competition.
Design is subjective. There’s never the right or just one solution and that’s the challenge and why we love our role so much.
Perry Mears
Peregrine Mears Architects