Architecture & Interior
Amyas Connell, the architect responsible for the infamous ‘High & Over’, was commissioned to design a smaller scale, but by no means less noteworthy, set of houses on the High & Over estate. Revolutionary for their time, the Sun Houses followed the architectural principles of international modernism inspired by Le Corbusier. The Third Sun House is the only surviving example that has not been altered or extended and remains largely untouched from its original form. The recently completed restorative works are sensitive to this authenticity. The tall steel Crittall windows have been painstakingly reconstructed; the original concrete walls treated and repainted; the genuine original fixtures and fittings throughout the home retained and refurbished. As you approach the driveway, the home is designed to stand dominating the landscape. Formerly obscured by trees, the grounds have been sensitively cleared, to bring back sunlight to the Sun House. As modernist living was designed around the rise of the motor car, the garage extends out from the house acting as your first port of call (there is also space to park 3-4 cars on the gravel driveway). Above the front door, an iconic Crittall window graces the entire height of the building, revealing the passage up through the stairwell to the roof terrace. The living room and kitchen windows are designed to maximise daylight, wrapping around the ground floor facing east, south and west. The living room is open and spacious, with a Crittall door providing access to the lawn and the sun deck on the garage roof. Jutting out from the window frames at ground level are sunshades, or concrete ‘Brise Soleils’, a modernist element devised to prevent direct sunlight from overheating the rooms. Original lampshades punctuate the ground floor alongside two listed features that have been retained: a ‘settle’ (wooden bench), and a fantastic pivoting pantry door, installed for effortless serving and clearing at mealtimes. The purposefully raised dining area is designed to be level with the rear garden. The kitchen pays homage to the era, with natural curves and 30s’ flair, but still with plenty of space for storage and contemporary appliances. Walking up the concrete spiral staircase to the first floor, whatever the season, is a beautiful experience in a bright corridor of sunlight. This is where you can truly appreciate why these pioneering modernist structures have come to dictate how we build our homes in the 21st century. Natural light and large windows are now key principles we all desire, and these properties were amongst the first of their kind to deliver this. Located off the first-floor hallway, a family bathroom has sympathetic fittings and is a great size. There is also a hidden doorway to the second bedroom, which could be reinstated. All bedrooms are a good size and incredibly bright, making them amazing spaces to wake up in. Original fixtures and fittings feature throughout this floor, including ceiling lamps, air vents, radiators, an airing cupboard and of course, windows! Up to the top floor, the roof terrace really is the statement space, matching the footprint of the ground floor. There are panoramic views of the Chilterns as far as the eye can see. Roof tiles and grey paint have been added to ensure the roof surface remains cool, and is a comfortable, inviting place to relax, dine and entertain. Modernist architectural thinking was to integrate your main relaxation space into the property as terraces or ‘decks’ and allow your garden to flow naturally around the home. The terraced gardens that surround the Sun House retain this principle, with tiered areas and original knapped flint walls including a purpose-built garden seat! The adjoining coal shed has been converted to an external utility room, an essential and clever space-saving feature. There is also an additional outbuilding that is ideal for storage. A separate garden studio has been installed by the current owners (with full planning consent) which includes underfloor heating, bifold doors, a kitchenette and an additional WC.