A St Helens house has appeared on the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) shortlist for the RIBA House of the Year – the annual award for the UK’s best new house.
‘Saltmarsh House’ achieves pocket-watch levels of precision and attention to detail to create a building that is truly breathtaking.
With uninterrupted views across The Duver and Bembridge Harbour, this house is a stunning example of modern architectural design. Conceived as a delicate steel-frame pavilion, it takes reference from the repeating pitched-roofed glasshouses that once graced the kitchen gardens of the Grade II-listed Victorian house, in the grounds of which the project sits.
Saltmarsh House is described by the RIBA as:
“A pyramidal copper roof with a crisp minimalist eavesdrop edge, seems to hover above an intricate glass pavilion, taking reference from the repeating pitched-roofed glasshouses that once graced the same grounds.
“Large windows provide uninterrupted harbour views, the use of glass and steel create a sense of lightness and transparency that blends seamlessly into the surroundings.”
The whole structure appears to float, with a large terrace and a series of stepped platforms that provide additional outdoor living spaces, further enhancing the connection between the building and its setting.
The precision, attention to detail, and craftsmanship continue inside with an interior that is equally impressive. The house features a spacious, open-plan living space that is flooded with natural light and offers an uninterrupted view across the marsh. The use of neutral colours and natural wood creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Three cantilevered copper-clad pods accommodate essential facilities for eating, sleeping and washing, each meticulously planned and expertly crafted.
The design and execution of Saltmarsh House is faultless, a testament to the power of good architecture and the role that it can play in creating inspiring and sustainable structures.
That’s bloody awful.
Either you like Picasso or you don’t
Is it just me, or am I seeing a Bus Shelter?
I thought it was a petrol station, but can’t see any petrol pumps.
Looks like ventnor old bus station they pulled down in Albert Street
It’s rubbish, doesn’t fit into the surroundings at all, looks like a posh public toilet. Oh is it flooded yet?
A beautiful home. So many modern designer homes are seemingly built to shock to ‘show’ they are different for difference sake
This appears to be tastefully and thoughtfully built to blend the beauty of the surroundings to be harmonious with the modern graceful design of this building.
A worthy winner imo
I guess you own it then…. or work for RIBA… The foul mothed geezer on channel 4 Wednesday night builds ‘homes of the year’. Truly amazing houses.Total chav…
Shouldn’t that read “Cattle shed of the year”? Luxury accommodation for dairy cattle.
I think the cows would objerct.
Bus stop? Train station? Looks dreadful.
It’s odd, and to my eye doesn’t seem sympathetic to the setting at all, which I naively thought was what “good” architecture was about. My design teacher from a million years ago would likely have said “guess who got a new set-square for Christmas”. Difficult to guess how from the inside you can appreciate the natural view with all those beams going in every direction to distract the eye. That said some people will like it, and it’s probably good that we don’t all like the same things. Plus, if it keeps the rain out it works as a building.
I wonder if topline done the windows as they seem to install the flashy stuff
No, it would be Anglian as the owner is clearly a sucker
They are absolutely useless they can’t get simple jobs right.
What a monstrosity. There is one for sale in Whitwell for £1435000 designed by a riba prize winning “architect” which is also hideous, just a series of boxes. How the hell did they get planning permision?
Brown envelopes all around!
Both are totally out of keeping for area,this one looks like a pub outside eating area or bus station, the one in Whitwell looks like a B&Q shed, again totally out of keeping and also built in field and destroyed wildlife and is now contaminating water ways . Both these homes are as result of corruption and terrible design. Questions should be asked by HMRC as too where the money came from.
“Large windows provide uninterrupted harbour views, the use of glass and steel create a sense of lightness and transparency that blends seamlessly into the surroundings.” Funny, it sticks out like a sore thumb.
“A pyramidal copper roof with a crisp minimalist eavesdrop edge, seems to hover above an intricate glass pavilion, taking reference from the repeating pitched-roofed glasshouses that once graced the same grounds.” I expect the glass houses looked better.
As someone who regularly walks across the Duver following the coastal path over the Mill Wall, I have noticed this building going up. I must admit that my first thought were ‘how did the land owner get planning permission to build a Garden Center/Cafe there’ It certainly dominates it’s setting. I’m sure that if you live in a house like that ‘life is grand’ you would have a distorted view of your self, consideration for others and the environment wouldn’t cross your mind.
I couldn’t edit, ‘Was’
not a nice cosy comphy home . just a cold looking building . horrible . if that one is in the running ,what dos the rest look like
A lot of these comments make me laugh, but I’m not surprised. If you’ve only ever seen a petrol station then it can only be a petrol station. Love the Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich influence combined with traditional Japanese architectural aesthetic.
Looks like an Amish meeting house or a medieval long house
What it doesn’t look like is very nice
Can’t help wondering how comfortable it is to live in, which is surely it’s purpose
This is a building created by a super rich man who wanted somewhere to go and sit while not in his mansion. It is ugly and benefits nobody but him and is not worthy of any praise at all.
The second picture looks more like a racecourse grandstand
The photos provided apparently don’t do it justice, because it doesn’t look like someone’s home at all. If they showed the living area, kitchen, SOMETHING that makes it look like someone lives there, maybe I could get why they’re giving it such accolades. But yeah, the commenters are right, it looks like a big glorified bus stop or a really nice set of public toilets.
I expect we’ve all paid for this with a dodgy COVID contract or something.
Looks awful and all.
How many people for dinner?