A new-build family home in a French Neo-classical style on the exclusive Wentworth Estate in West London with linked staff accommodation. This ‘iceberg’ development has a floor area of approximately 1600m2 and involved extensive excavation to form a large basement for a swimming pool, cinema, wine cellar, office, kitchen and courtyard. Above ground the reception rooms on the ground floor and bedrooms at first floor are arranged around a two-level gallery space.

The house was designed to comply with the specific requirements of traditional Vastu Shastra principles. From the outset we were involved in liaising with the client’s specialist advisor to ensure that these specific parameters were met. Due to onerous planning restrictions over half the volume of the house is below ground. This gave opportunities to admit natural daylight through the house and to the basement via a generous classical courtyard, intended as the calm centre of the house. The 20m long swimming pool also receives diffuse daylight via long perimeter lightwells, disguised within soft landscaping at ground level.

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