Water Lane

Location: Oxfordshire, UK
Scale: 3-bedroom flood resilient house and garden, 130sqm
Constraints: Flood zones 2 and 3, conservation area and TPOs
Scope of Works: Full architectural service (RIBA Stages 1-7)

Background

Following receiving full planning permission, we have completed a flood-resilient contemporary home in Oxfordshire.

Located within the conservation area of Sutton Courtenay, the house is elevated above the 1 in 100-year flood level, allowing for rising waters and future climate change impacts.

The site’s landscape is sculpted to accommodate encroaching water gradually as the stream swells.

Principal Planning Officer, Laura Hudson, said:

“This dwelling, whilst contemporary in design, is simple in form, is low in profile and set well into the site. It preserves the character and appearance of the conservation area.”

Process

Water Lane was designed as a serene contemporary home located near the source of the River Thames in Oxfordshire.

Set within the natural landscape, the house was conceived as a light and graceful structure that lives harmoniously with the surrounding water.

The site lies beside a small brook that can overflow during heavy rain, so we elevated the property above the flood level, allowing water to pass safely beneath the house without damage.

Architecture

Inside, Water Lane combines open-plan living with a strong sense of intimacy. Pitched roofs and double-height volumes draw natural light deep into the interior, while contrasting ceiling heights create spaces of warmth and calm.

Every detail was considered to connect the occupants to their surroundings, from framed views of the brook to materials that mirror the tones of the landscape.

By allowing nature to flow freely around and beneath it, Water Lane demonstrates how homes can truly live with water, not against it.