This Georgian style country house was designed to have a formal character, reflecting the gentrification and rising affluence which led to the introduction of more formal and varied living accommodation to traditional farm holdings.

Widely used in Ancient Greece the idea of a portico on classical buildings has influenced many design cultures since.

The addition of a portico to this award winning house in Wiltshire adds depth and interest to what could otherwise be a ‘flat’ elevation. The signification of the entrance helps draw the eye visually and practically provides a covered place to stand while the door is opened. Simple, elegant and effective.

At the heart of the classical language of architect are the ideas of proportion and symmetry. These drive the elegant looks of buildings designed in this language.

The benefits of the correct use of proportion and symmetry are illustrated nicely by this family home in Wiltshire. Careful balance is needed to create an elegant home and the successful result remains a popular project in our portfolio.

You don’t always need a huge amount of information to convey the sense of a space, place or set of buildings. Computer Generated Images have their place, but sometimes it is as much about what you leave out as much as you leave in.

These sketch visuals of an infill housing scheme in Buckinghamshire are not ultra realistic, but they still give the overall impression of the feeling of the development. A collection of traditionally styled houses give the feeling of a series of homes which have been part of the village, rather than new introductions.

We're pleased to see one of our houses featured in Country Life Property this week.

Penny Churchill spoke to Alex about this family home we designed in Berkshire, to discuss the design thinking behind it.

The property is now for sale through Alex Barton at Strutt & Parker in Newbury.

Some projects just lend themselves to different types of plan form, and we like to explore the possibilities an unusual project can allow.

This classical villa in an urban parkland is an excellent example of this. The main rooms radiate from a central octagonal stair hall and are linked with sweeping curved corridors. The enfillade of the central three spaces acts as a counterpoint to the ‘concealed’ drawing room to the rear which you enter through a journey of discovery.

We talk about craftsmanship a lot in the studio, but is it really that important?

Yes this doorcase would have looked beautiful a simpler frieze, but the extra visual lift the decorative carving here adds changes this from something beautiful, to something truly special. Entirely carved by hand, this is why we cherish craftsmanship so much.

This country house is one of our favourites.

The scale is carefully modelled to give maximum floor area for the minimum bulk. The building is broken down into elements to give the impression of a developing language, with subsidiary elements further reducing the perceived size of the building.

Why did we do this? To deliver the space our clients needed, but in a way respectful to the picturesque setting on the edge of a beautiful village. The results speak for themselves.

The inherent beauty of correct proportions can be seen throughout nature, the human body and in classical architecture.

This is well illustrated by the beauty of the Golden Section proportions of this new build country house in Berkshire, balanced with the elegant landscape as part of the driveway approach, centred on a metal sculpture of two dancers.

Classical architecture has an inherent richness to it.

Choosing to build new buildings in this style is something that should not be taken lightly. Without the depth of design and detail, the resulting building can end up looking unconvincing. However, when clients commit to the language of classicism, the results, as at this stunning Wiltshire home, speak for themselves.

Even in the most unpromising places, beauty can be created.

This derelict poultry farm in the Test Valley was a visual detractor from the surrounding landscape of this part of Hampshire. Our design for this stunning Classical country house gained consent as a replacement offering considerable visual improvement. The result is a comfortable family home set in beautiful landscaped grounds.

We do love a hand drawing here and we’ve been looking back through the archives recently to find our favourites.

This is one of Alex’s favourites. This elegant pair of gate lodges we designed for a country estate in Hampshire are, at the same time, both subservient to the main house, but still give the impression of what it will be like. The Georgians used gate lodges to signify the gravitas of their country houses, but still always remembered the fact that they were service buildings. A tricky balance, but one we are delighted to have struck here.

We like a wide range of architectural languages and which language we use for a project can be decided by a number of factors.

Chiefly though, when working with an existing building, the building itself will give us the correct direction. This country house dates back to the 1890s but the original design felt incomplete and unresolved. The language of the existing home suggested that a Gothic language would be the most appropriate direction and here is the finished article.

We here at AOA love dogs and we love Classical architecture.

What could be better then a picture of our clients Golden Retriever and their beautiful classical country house we’ve recently completed for them in the background. The best of both.

Much of the elements of Georgian architecture are evolved from the Classical principles first seen in the traditions of ancient Greek and Roman architecture.

The evolutions are continual but often reference back to earlier times. The first floor window on this Georgian townhouse includes what is known as a Venetian or Serlian (after Sebastiano Serlio) window. A Venetian window is a three part window with the central part being arched topped and the two symmetrical sidelights being shorter. All three are broken up by pilasters and are topped by an entablature.

Responding to the unique challenges of a site is something we really enjoy.

The site of this house is spectacular, a secluded hillside with breath-taking views. Our client wanted to create a homes that would add to this scene, would occupy the hillside and lie, rather romantically, against a background of dense woodland, overlooking the valley below.

It is always very rewarding to see one of our designs starting to settle into it’s landscape.

Here is a photo of our recently completed North Downs project in Surrey. The careful choice of materials and detailing makes the finished home look grounded already. We’re really looking forward to see how the landscaping scheme we designed, at the same time as designing the house, develops over the next few years.

We’re delighted to have gained planning permission to extend this country house in Berkshire. We designed this house originally and are delighted to have, once again, been invited back to work on the next stage of the evolution of this family home.

We’re currently working on the technical drawings and are looking forward to seeing it start on site soon!

Selection of materials when working of conservation projects is critical. Specify the wrong product and the whole building runs the risk of looking like an unworthy addition to the site.

The Grade II* listed country house in the Test Valley has had carefully selected handmade roof tiles to add a subtle variation and character to the roof plane, a specially selected mix of handmade bricks and carefully crafted timber French doors, all expertly executed by Moulding The Builder. The result is a worthy addition to this historic family home.

Whilst we love town life, country life is our great passion.

It is fitting then to look back at when one of our country house projects in the Test Valley was featured in Country Life magazine in November 2004. Author Caroline Fetherstonhaugh chose our scheme as one of just five homes carefully selected to represent “new houses in the classical tradition”.