Purcell Chairman Liz Smith and Associate Partner Lydia Kan have spoken to the BBC on the appeal of modern classical country houses and the questions they raise about authenticity.
Their response considered the qualities that make a modern classical house successful: proportion, composition, materials, craftsmanship and an understanding of its setting.
“A successful modern classical house depends on more than applied style,” Liz tells the BBC.
Building on our wider contribution, we explore how these principles inform Purcell’s approach to creating and adapting homes, from understanding a site’s history to considering how a building can serve future generations.
Understanding the appeal
The attraction of a country house often lies in a desire for permanence, craft and a connection to landscape. Generous proportions, carefully chosen materials and skilled craftsmanship can give a home a sense of rootedness.
Our expertise lies in translating those qualities into homes that respond thoughtfully to their setting, combining contemporary design, environmental performance and the practical needs of family life.
– Lydia Kan, Associate Partner, Purcell
Looking first at what already exists
A new house offers opportunities to consider accessibility, environmental performance and flexibility from the outset. These ambitions can also often be realised by creatively adapting an existing property.
Our instinct is to explore what can be retained, repaired and given renewed purpose. Historic homes can be reimagined through innovative, human-centred design to meet contemporary needs while preserving the cultural and material value already invested in them.
Working with an older house also involves discovery. Investigations may reveal concealed fabric, earlier alterations or technical constraints that change the brief. Understanding these layers is part of the richness of working with historic buildings, helping us decide what to protect, reveal or adapt.
Wildernesse House, a Grade II-listed Georgian building transformed into 23 high-end, luxury apartments
Designing with the future in mind
The buildings we work with are part of a continuing story. A home must respond to the people who live there today while allowing for changing needs over time.
Classical principles can contribute to that ambition, alongside careful consideration of how a house sits within its landscape, how its materials age and how comfortably it accommodates everyday life. Our aim is to create thoughtful homes that remain useful, adaptable and meaningful for future generations.
