Brutalist architecture that blends with the British countryside

The brutalist architecture of this contemporary home is designed to blend with its bucolic surroundings

brutalist architecture
(Image credit: The Modern House)

If you like brutalist architecture and modern homes, have a cool £2,500,000 million to spare and fancy Soho Farmhouse as your (fairly) local, the 'Ghost House' designed by BPN Architects in Moreton Paddox, Warwickshire is up for grabs on The Modern House.

Or maybe, like us, you just fancy a nose around?

brutalist architecture

(Image credit: The Modern House)

See Also: Explore a raw, Brutalist apartment in Paris

Partially sunken into its plot, Ghost House has an internal living space of over 5,000 sq ft and has been designed to offer privacy, with sensitivity to the surrounding Warwickshire countryside. 

It was completed in 2018 and shortlisted for RIBA’s 2019 House of the year. 

Check out this RIBA award-winning home in a former brewery cooperage.

brutalist architecture

(Image credit: The Modern House)

Occupying the site of a former manor in Moreton Paddox, the house sits at the far end of a small hamlet, less than ten miles from Stratford upon Avon, Warwick and Leamington Spa & 22 miles north of Great Tew. 

Cantilevered over the three-and-a-half-metre-high slope of the plot, Ghost House is barely visible from the long private lane on the approach.

brutalist architecture

(Image credit: The Modern House)

The architectural design draws distinct parallels with the style of Tadao Ando and his exploration of concrete and light.

Geometric forms and natural materials, such as glass and steel are paired with rectangular sections built almost entirely of concrete cast in-situ, encapsulating the tenets of the Brutalist movement. 

A central pathway and staircase lead down to one of the two subterranean sunken courtyards.

brutalist architecture

(Image credit: The Modern House)

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Internally, the main entrance leads directly to a spectacular living space, completely free of load-bearing columns to ensure a free-flow of space. 

brutalist architecture

(Image credit: The Modern House)

Loosely arranged in an open-plan layout, a beautifully finished slab of nero marquina marble forms a central black kitchen by Poggenpohl, with the dining and lounge areas at either end.

Local Cotswold sand has been incorporated into the structural materials to create a warmer hue.

Elegant channels of recessed lighting run overhead, meticulously positioned to add perfect symmetry to the space.

brutalist architecture

(Image credit: The Modern House)

See Also: Cool Black Kitchen Ideas

The rear sunken courtyard garden provides a secluded suntrap for summer lunches.

brutalist architecture

(Image credit: The Modern House)

Two bedrooms are positioned on the lower floor, each with en-suite bathrooms, large dressing rooms and a private internal courtyard.

brutalist architecture

(Image credit: The Modern House)

There's even separate shoe storage.

brutalist architecture

(Image credit: The Modern House)

Expect more stripped back minimalism in the bathroom. 

brutalist architecture

(Image credit: The Modern House)

See Also: Modern homes – a guide to modern architectural styles and design

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Jacky Parker is a London-based freelance journalist and content creator, specialising in interiors, travel and food. From buying guides and real home case studies to shopping and news pages, she produces a wide range of features for national magazines and SEO content for websites


A long-time contributor to Livingetc, as a member of the team, she regularly reports on the latest trends, speaking to experts and discovering the latest tips. Jacky has also written  for other publications such as Homes and Gardens, Ideal Home, Red, Grand Designs, Sunday Times Style and AD, Country Homes and Interiors and ELLE Decoration.