RIBA announces first two House of the Year shortlist contenders

Inside, the house features a wellness spa and other enhancements further emphasizing its bespoke and “festive character.” A timber stair leads to the structure’s wood-lined bedrooms, offering a sweeping view of the English Channel and surrounding East Sussex environ. In a press announcement, the RIBA jury referred to the 1,915-square-foot design as holiday-friendly and a “naughty-but-nice gem.”

It is joined by David Kohn Architects’ The Red House located in Dorset. Rendered in traditional English red brick with green accents, its design creates a “playful take on the rural vernacular farmhouse” and was hailed by Guardian critic Rowan Moore as a blend of the best elements of Louis Kahn and James Stirling. 

Interior storage cores help to organize the flow of spaces around the home that are further unified by the “utilitarian and pragmatic” material palette, joinery, parquetry, and rich blockwork finishes. The house was designed for an art-collecting couple and their daughter but can be adapted to accommodate the needs of elderly residents and guests in the future. The RIBA jury says this is “a project full of delight and invention, pragmatism, and eccentricity along with knowing references, formal and informal gestures.”

Additional shortlisted projects will be announced via BBC’s Channel 4 on November 23rd, 30th, and December 7th, respectively. A winner will be announced by the end of January as part of the joint Grand Designs: House of the Year broadcast. Links to each episode can be found here.