Forest Pavilion

In a clearing within The Lakes by Yoo, an estate in the Cotswolds, Broadway Malyan designed a single-storey home that draws the surrounding woodland into everyday life. The clients asked for a house with the feel of a pavilion, inspired by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and other modernist architects. Living on one level was also a future-proof choice.

Laid out horizontally, the house contrasts with the height of the trees around it. Set on a plinth, it appears to float above its interior and exterior spaces. Walls of floor-to-ceiling glazing sit between the floor slab and a matching timber-lined roof plane. The tiled terrace is flush with the interior floor, so the living spaces extend outdoors when the sliding doors are open.

From the entrance hall, views open to a single stone monolith framed by the forest. Frameless Sky-Frame sliding doors in the main living areas and the master bedroom bring the woodland close, while smaller windows in the other rooms offer more intimate glimpses of the trees.

Timber and metal were chosen as the primary construction materials to minimise environmental impact. The deep horizontal roofline shades the building and provides cooling in the summer months.