Get in touch today. Start something special tomorrow.
Windy Rise
A modernist hillside home with roots in the landscape, and the past.
2025
Private Residential
Sustainability
Set high in the treetops on a rewilded wreck of a site, Windy Rise reimagines a lost family home with purpose and precision.
Brief
The original house on this site was generic, uninspired, and unworthy of its spectacular hillside setting. Then came vandalism, arson, and eventually nature decided to move in and make itself at home.
Even when covered in weeds and bad memories, this Little Eaton hillside still had something special to offer. Altitude. Privacy. Drama. The kind of views that make you forget your porridge is getting cold.
Our client's biggest worry was getting planning permission for something bigger, bolder and on show for the whole village to see. "That's what we're trusting you for," they said.
No pressure then.
Location
Derbyshire
Status
Planning Pending
Client
Private Client
Services
Architectural Design
Planning
3D Visualisation
Area
3,050 sqft
Context
"The site is, by any measure, extraordinary."
Sometimes the landscape tells you exactly what to do. This steep site practically demanded we cut into the hillside rather than fight it. So we did.
The lower level sits snug in a sheer drop, keeping the overall building height respectful. Then comes the fun bit—the bedroom wing that cantilevers out, floating above the treetops like it's defying gravity for the sheer joy of it.
It's minimal, precise, and linear. Everything the chaotic terrain beneath it isn't. This house doesn't hide from its surroundings—it enhances them.
Breathtaking Design
North? No Thanks.
North-facing was never going to work. Dark, cold, and topographically about as welcoming as a VAT return. So we turned everything to chase the southern sun instead.
The living spaces, bedrooms, and that floating wing all face the valley like they're queuing for the best seats at the theatre. Behind the scenes, we carved out a courtyard that works overtime as both lightwell and a private retreat. It funnels sunshine down to the swimming pool (or bowling alley!) below.
The result is a house that feels bright, layered, and surprisingly connected between levels. Above ground, below ground, it all just works.
Materials
Nothing to hide.
We don't do architectural fancy dress here. Every material chosen for Windy Rise is exactly what it says on the tin.
The timber cladding is natural larch, cut to show off its texture and treated with UV-stabilising oil so it ages gracefully to silver. The concrete banding doesn't pretend to be marble or wood—it's concrete, and it's proud of it. At ground level, natural stone pulled from the surrounding geology adds the weight and connection this floating house needs.
The palette is deliberately tight, quietly nodding to both the woodland setting and the Peak District beyond. Nothing showy. Nothing fake. Just honest materials doing honest work.
The Planning
Getting Windy Rise through planning will mean proving the house would enhance the site, not dominate it.
We presented visual impact assessments from key viewpoints, showed how our cut-and-fill strategy would barely disturb the land, and included an ecological plan that improves biodiversity. The green roofs help the house blend into the landscape when viewed from above, and we kept the building footprint tight to avoid unnecessary tree clearance.
Most importantly, we made the case that this house would be a natural evolution of the site rather than an unwelcome intrusion.
Floorplans
Client Feedback
"JSA have been most helpful from the initial meeting through to the production of a quality plan for our project , superb communication of progress with our plans and clear costing and timescales. We are very pleased with the service in what has been a complex project and would thoroughly recommend their services."
Want to see more?
Explore more of our innovative and sustainable architectural projects.
