An award-winning, luxury home in the beautiful Hampshire countryside, designed to make the most of its location, also makes its own bold statement thanks to an imaginative combination of materials, including lass, timber and bricks created by the innovation-led, manufacturer, Vandersanden.

The winner of a prestigious Sunday Times British Homes Award, 4 Views is a remarkable new build with a distinctive architectural design from Winchester-based firm, AR Design Studio.

Dark Vandersanden Morvan brickwork creates a distinctive, tonal contrast with cedar cladding and floor to ceiling glass doors and windows used to set this home apart, and give it a balanced, calm identity, at one with the landscape.

The conceptual drive behind his house was the principle of the 3 N’s: Nature, Natural light and Natural air. The form of the replacement house is defined by four interlocking boxes, the enclosed space at their centre forms a ‘Zen’ garden, with a single olive tree at its heart. This simple layout became the foundation on which the principles of the 3N’s could be built, allowing them to be incorporated into all aspects of the design.

The four rectangular boxes are topped with a flat, overhanging roof. AR Design Studio took an upside-down approach to the living arrangements with first floor reception rooms including a kitchen, dining room and living space built around a central open-air garden whilst the four bedrooms are found on the ground floor.

The house has been designed to take advantage of natural light, on the upper floor a large amount of glazing and rooflights allows the light to flood through the area. On the ground floor, the space has been designed to be darker and feel more homely with windows overlooking the garden.

For this particular project AR Design Studio in conjunction with the homeowner selected Vandersanden’ Morvan brick. Andy Ramus, Founder and Director of AR Design Studio, explains why, “A key element of the scheme was a neutral colour palette, connected to the natural theme and materials prevalent throughout the design. A material was required which would distinguish the ground floor from the lighter timber selected for the first floor, while providing a calm and sophisticated aesthetic."

The Morvan brick is a unicoloured anthracite black and fits perfectly with the concept of the project. The homeowners and the architects were focused on being nature and natural products into the build and Vandersanden’s products are an ideal solution.

Brick is a natural product as they are made up of a combination of natural elements, i.e. clay, sand, water, air and fire. They are also fully sustainable during all phases of its life cycle.

The Morvan brick also complements the stylish design as it sits in contrast to the lighter tone of the cedar cladding to create a striking look. The materials work together as simple and natural, balancing light and dark in a style the architects wanted to use to evoke and promote a sense of calm.

Vandersanden produces a vast array of high-quality bricks in different finishes and colours, ranging from reds and browns, to greys, creams and buffs that will inspire and enable the design and construction of beautiful buildings. All Vandersanden bricks meet the EN771-1 standards as well as F2/S2 ratings for durability. For more information, please visit www.vandersanden.com.

AR Design Studio specialise in the delivery of elegant and imaginative contemporary new homes, extensions, renovations and multi-plot developments. For more information, visit www.ardesignstudio.co.uk.