Lakehouse

A lakeside retreat in Shropshire, where the views are wide, the water’s deep, and the bills are almost non-existent.

2024

Private Residential

Sustainability

Imagine waking up to glassy water, padding out to your own private jetty, and jumping in before the kettle’s even boiled. The Lakehouse is more than a modern home—it’s a net-zero lifestyle designed around wellbeing, views, and the kind of peace that’s hard to put a price on.

Brief

This wasn’t just a home for living—it was a place to live well. The client (an experienced developer) wanted a house that could hold its own architecturally, perform flawlessly year-round, and make everyday rituals feel a bit more special. A proper spa after a long day. A cinema for rainy weekends. A gallery landing that makes the walk to bed feel like a moment.

We weren’t told what it had to be—we were asked what it could be. And that gave us space to focus on what matters most: designing a home that lifts your energy the second you walk through the door, and never takes more from the planet than it gives back.

Location

Shropshire

Status

Completed

Client

Private Client

Services

Architectural Design

Planning

3D Visualisation

Area

3,050 sqft

Too wet, too soft, too complicated.

That's what most architects would have said about this waterlogged Shropshire site. The spring that bubbled up through the ground had been flooding the land for decades. Planning officers were skeptical. Engineers were scratching their heads.

But our client—an experienced developer—saw the same thing we did. Those distant views of the Wrekin. The mature trees. The sense of complete privacy. Sometimes the most challenging sites hide the biggest opportunities.

The question wasn't whether we could build here. It was whether we could turn the site's biggest problem into its greatest feature.

Turning Water From Enemy to Asset

We didn't fight the water. We designed with it.

Instead of expensive drainage systems that might fail, we created twin man-made lakes that naturally manage the groundwater. The troublesome spring now flows peacefully through a culvert to the adjacent brook—no more flooding, just gentle water movement that feels completely natural.

This landscape intervention didn't just unlock the building opportunity. It gave the house its identity. Now our clients live with water reflections dancing on their ceilings, watch wild swimmers year-round, and wake up to morning mist hovering over their private lakes.

The house itself performs as beautifully as its setting. Roof-mounted solar arrays generate more energy than the family uses—even with the sauna running daily. Multiple air source heat pumps provide whisper-quiet heating that costs pennies to run. The result? Energy cheques instead of bills, and a completely guilt-free lifestyle.

Planning approval came through unanimously. Turns out even the most cautious committees get excited when you solve problems this elegantly.

A Gallery For Living. Not Just Looking

Every morning feels like checking into a five-star spa.

Step inside and you'll understand why our client calls it "more gallery than house." Clean lines, carefully curated materials, and that central gallery landing that floods the heart of the home with natural light. But this isn't one of those sterile showpieces where you're afraid to touch anything.

The cinema room handles movie marathons and teenage gaming sessions with equal style. The spa complex—complete with steam room and gym—sits lakeside for post-swim recovery sessions. The three-bedroom annex above the garage means visiting family actually want to extend their stays.

It's a home designed around the rituals that make life feel special. Morning coffee with lake views. Evening saunas under the stars. Barefoot walks to the summerhouse. Those small moments that turn a house into a retreat.

And because it generates its own energy and maintains perfect indoor air quality year-round, comfort never comes with compromise.