Contemporary New Build for Downsizers in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

Jones Robbins Tobin designed this highly crafted contemporary new-build dwelling within the grounds of an early twentieth-century country house in Oxfordshire. Conceived for clients seeking to downsize without compromise, the project creates a home that is both contextually grounded and quietly progressive.

Rather than replicate the architectural language of the principal house, the design distils its order, proportion and materiality into a contemporary composition. A series of pavilion structures are arranged within a walled garden setting, articulated through brick enclosure walls, aligned pitched roofs and disciplined forms. New landscaped gardens weave between the pavilions, creating layered and carefully framed vistas across the site.

On arrival, the three-bedroom house presents as a modest single-storey dwelling, deliberately subservient to the original residence. A glazed link corridor separates the private accommodation from the principal living pavilions and anchors the new structure to its setting. Carefully aligned with the existing gable, the link frames views to the tree-lined boundary and reinforces the dialogue between old and new. A concealed lower ground level accommodates two en-suite bedrooms and an additional family living space.

To the south, the principal pavilions contain light-filled open-plan living areas that open onto sheltered external terraces. An outdoor dining space bridges the void between volumes, bookended by brick hearths that extend the architectural language into the landscape.

Ecological design principles underpin the project, with high-performance fabric, careful orientation and considered detailing supporting long-term sustainability and comfort.