Langdale, Brampton

by Mary Arnold-Forster Architects

Client Private

Award RIBA North West Award 2024

Langdale is a modern house for a family of four. Forming a subtle threshold between the town of Brampton and the landscape of Cumbria, it nestles into a steep site where it replaces a 1960s stable/workshop that had fallen into disrepair. It is generous without being ostentatious, practical but refined.

The house is comprised of three simple shed-like volumes, assembled with conviction and clad in primarily Scottish larch wood. Highly insulated construction has been prioritised, supplemented by renewable energy from solar panels.

There is a confident modesty about the architecture, which provides proper space for the stuff of life: storage, shoes, and coats, alongside a combination of spacious and snug family spaces with incredible views. The architects have successfully fulfilled the family’s brief for a house that balances simple practicality with an appreciation of its wild and beautiful setting.

Read the full citation from the RIBA Awards Jury on RIBA Journal.

Contractor SIBA Construction

Structural Engineer SF Structures

Gross internal area m² 195