Wiltshire House

Evoking traditional farmyard drinking troughs, the utilitarian design sits beautifully between the original property and the modern agricultural interventions. Our iconic polished concrete forms the perfect bridge between the two, offering a suitably industrial aesthetic with a subtle, elegant finish.

With many historic features, including traditional roofscapes and limestone walls, the new courtyard needed to be a harmonious contrast to the existing property. Concrete was chosen for its fluidity and flexibility, explains Richard Parr: “It’s one material that creates its own defined environment.”

This environment includes a split-level courtyard featuring a 400sqm swimming pool surround, external kitchen counters, walls, shelves, and steps — offering ample scope for sunbathing and entertaining. The Cool Grey external concrete extends the length and breadth of the courtyard. The swimming pool border is clad with pre-cast concrete tiles in a complementary August Grey colour which provides a subtle yet beautiful contrast to the landscaped surroundings and the original property.

Surrounding the courtyard are approximately 60 linear metres of cast-face concrete walls. Even the outdoor kitchen units have a sculptural quality — Brought to life by cooking and entertaining, two outdoor kitchens stand complete with two cast in situ external barbecue worktops and a cast concrete sink. Summer soirées can be catered entirely outdoors, making these pieces an integral part of this remarkable outdoor space.

Composed of approximately 100 pre-cast pieces in various shapes and sizes, the pool surrounds and copings provide a distinct contrast and crisp edge to the rippling water. The most timeless piece, a concrete clock face, was created by casting 12 recesses into a concrete tile and adding simple indices instead of numerals.

“Sometimes one needs to be quite bold, and this is a bold intervention,” adds Richard. The elegant blend of old and new brings Wiltshire into the twenty-first century with a unique space designed for outdoor living.

The combination of pre-cast and in situ concrete creates a delicate blend of fine lines and grounded fluidity.