In the picturesque British neighborhood of Hale, located southwest of Manchester, stands Villa Offland, a newly completed residence. Nestled within lush greenery and shielded by dense walls of plants and tall trees, this architectural marvel draws inspiration from the rich traditions of Northern architecture, seamlessly blending with its natural surroundings.
The building features a thin vertical cedar wood cladding that gracefully curves around its structure, paying homage to the influential works of Sigurd Lewerentz and Alvar Aalto. Designed with careful consideration for the neighbouring buildings and the need for privacy, the soft, curved volumes display a modern aesthetic. A sculptural steel frame, adorned with wood and glass, serves as the project’s defining feature, showcasing its inherent strength.
Harmoniously adapting to the contours of the landscape, Villa Offland seamlessly merges with the site, integrating both architecture and vegetation. The lower ground floor of the building, with its floor-to-ceiling glass walls, gracefully sinks below street level, creating a private garden. Simultaneously, the upper ground floor aligns with the natural topography, giving the structure a low base that cleverly conceals its body in between the site’s boundary hedges. Vertical windows and magnificent wooden volumes on the upper floors beautifully incorporate the surrounding tree crowns, blurring the lines between indoors and the thriving scenery outside.
The landscape design of Villa Offland showcases gentle, curving greenery and vegetation, elegantly framed by concrete walls. Given the narrow and elongated nature of the site, careful attention was paid to maximize sightlines and allow the full length of the site to be experienced, while preserving the unique character and qualities of the surrounding area. Through its lowered position and thoughtfully curved volumes, Villa Offland successfully creates its own intimate sanctuary within the confines of this narrow site, embracing a sense of natural harmony.