Clay Rise. Completed 2024
West Hoathly, West Sussex, UK
Photography: French + Tye
Styling: Craft & Other Vices
Awards:
SHORTLISTED - 2025 British Homes Awards
SHORTLISTED - 2025 AJ Manser Medal
Built within the grounds of the client’s previous home, the project represents both continuity and transformation. It is a house that grows from familiar ground, shaped by the architect’s long-standing knowledge of the area and its surrounding community.
The house takes its name from the red clay tiles that define its form, a continuous, sweeping roofscape of rising planes with curved geometries that appear to emerge naturally from the landscape. This dynamic form brings movement and rhythm to the structure, recalling the undulating contours of the land.
Clay Rise is a self-built rural home in West Sussex, shaped by local heritage, craft, and landscape. Inspired by the region’s clay-tiled vernacular, Arts & Crafts ideals, and local sculptural influences, the design blends tradition with organic expression.
Conceived as an uplifting and joyful addition to the area, a sweeping clay-tile roof unfurls over a base of locally handmade brick. Inside, natural materials and flowing forms create a peaceful living environment - carefully crafted through close collaboration between architect, client, and local craftsmen.
