Buchanan House

A Sculptural Contemporary Home

Buchanan House is a contemporary new-build home in Oxford, conceived as a bold composition of contrasting forms and materials. Developed for clients seeking an ambitious architectural response, the design balances strong geometric volumes with carefully considered proportions to create a distinctive yet elegant family home.

The proposal demonstrates how contemporary architecture can make a confident statement while remaining carefully grounded within its setting.

Architecture in Balance

The house is organised around two contrasting architectural elements: a robust slate-clad base that anchors the building to the site, and a lighter upper volume that projects dramatically beyond it.

This interplay of mass and lightness defines the character of the house, with the cantilever creating sheltered external spaces below while allowing the upper floors to maximise views and natural daylight.

The composition gives the building a dynamic quality from every approach, expressing the structural concept as an integral part of the architecture.

Designed Around Light

Living spaces are arranged to make the most of daylight and views, with generous glazing creating bright, open interiors throughout the home. The principal kitchen, dining and living areas occupy the ground floor, where large openings strengthen the relationship between the house and its surrounding landscape.

At the centre of the home, a sculptural staircase provides a strong architectural focus, connecting all three levels while bringing natural light deep into the plan.

Materiality

A restrained palette of slate, timber and glass reinforces the clarity of the architectural composition. The dark slate base provides a sense of permanence and solidity, while the lighter upper volume introduces warmth and contrast through its contemporary cladding.

Large glazed openings soften the massing, framing views and allowing daylight to become an integral part of the architectural experience.

Contemporary Design with Lasting Presence

Arranged across three levels, including a basement integrated into the site's topography, the proposal makes efficient use of the plot while maintaining a calm and carefully proportioned external form.

Buchanan House explores the relationship between structure, materiality and light, creating a contemporary home that is both expressive and refined through the simplicity of its architectural language.