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Project	Gilling House
Photographer	Jim Varney
Completion	2020
Sector	Contemporary

Modernist country villa in the Howardian Hills

Set within the rolling Howardian Hills in North Yorkshire, this villa is conceived as a modernist interpretation of the traditional English country house. The building seems to float above the woodland floor, its crisp limestone walls and cantilevered forms reflected in the still water that defines the approach. From the outset, the experience is one of calm and anticipation, the house gradually revealing itself as a sculptural presence in the landscape.

Inside, spaces unfold with a quiet rhythm. Light floods in through floor-to-ceiling glazing, drawing the woodland deep into the interior. Living spaces open directly onto terraces, while bedrooms are elevated into the treetops with private balconies that capture long views across the valley. Each space is arranged to celebrate its connection to the landscape, allowing daily life to be framed by shifting light and changing seasons.

The materials are both modern and timeless. Locally quarried stone and natural timber give the house weight and permanence, while expanses of glass provide transparency and a sense of lightness. The architecture and the landscape are conceived together, with pathways, planting, and water features reinforcing the villa's dialogue with its setting.

This is a house that is both contemporary and rooted in place. It reflects the ambition of a client who sought a refined modern home in rural Yorkshire, and the vision of a contemporary architect able to translate modernist ideals into a design that belongs to its surroundings. The result is a bold yet understated country house, at once confident and serene, and a showcase of contemporary architecture in Yorkshire.

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