The transformation of a stunning Georgian house and gardens, located within a row of villas backing onto the River Wharfe in the centre of Wetherby, Yorkshire. The project received an RIBA Award for Design Excellence, White Rose Design Award, Roses Design Award and Manchester Society of Architects Award.

The main focus of the additions is a new living room with large areas of retractable glazing, which fully exploit the outstanding views. The plan layout is a composition of layered planes, which suggest rooms within rooms – a device borrowed from the Arts and Crafts movement, to achieve intimacy and grandeur. A tiered sequence of terraces and walls leads down to the water’s edge reinforcing the connection between the house and its setting. Contemporary architecture draws inspiration from its context to enhance the essence of a beautiful building and setting.