Working with nature is a common thread in the diverse portfolio of Blee Halligan, a relatively young architecture practice based in London and the Turks & Caicos Islands. “That’s our passion,” says cofounder Greg Blee, “and we’ve been lucky to forge our path building in wild places—on beaches, cliffs, and mountains.” Some ingenuity was required to conjure a natural setting for its latest house, however. The 4,380-square-foot villa is on a rather ordinary suburban street in Duffield, a village near the geographic heart of England in Derbyshire. Although its half-acre plot has westward views to fields and hills, there are close neighbors on three sides. But with skillful planning, they seem to recede from sight, leaving occupants to enjoy a sense of seclusion among lush gardens.
Blee Halligan’s clients, Craig and Lisa Foster, had originally intended to remodel a modest bungalow on the site, but when the architects established its limited potential, the couple decided to start afresh. They asked for a relaxed family home with “unprecious” interiors to withstand playful children, and a clearly contemporary character.
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