RIBA House of the Year 2023 shortlist: Saltmarsh House

The Royal Institute of British Architects awards the House of the Year annually to the best example of a one-off house designed by an architect in the UK, celebrating excellence and innovation in home design.
Saltmarsh House, Isle of Wight by Niall McLaughlin Architects
Visit our website to learn more about the full shortlist: www.architecture.com/houseoft...
A pyramidal copper roof with a crisp minimalist eavesdrop edge, seems to hover above an intricate glass pavilion, taking reference from the repeating pitched-roofed glasshouses that once graced the same grounds. Large windows provide uninterrupted harbour views, the use of glass and steel create a sense of lightness and transparency that blends seamlessly into the surroundings.
"What's been nice about this building is to see the way in which the people have come in and started to use it. They've filled it with really beautiful art and furniture, in a way that has given me real pleasure." -- Niall McLaughlin, Principal Architect, Niall McLaughlin Architects.
"The client was very interested in architecture and design culture. As a keen gardener, she has interest in the seasons, weather, and landscape generally. We felt if we could meet all of those expectations, then we were on good course." -- Alastair Browning, Associate Architect, Niall McLaughlin Architects.

[@davidalanmedia]

The interior roof structure is art. The ambient light in the home is just magical.

[@kristyjohnson2820]

Jaw dropping elegance & simplicity. Congratulations to all involved for creating a building of such beauty.

[@666chew]

Nothing better than when elegance coupled with industrial sophistication can arrive at what seems like simplicity, due to its non reliance on standard concepts of building. Beautiful achievement.

[@captainover-tighten6729]

First, love the design. Second, you couldn't pay me to live that near a salt marsh. Speaking from experience - it has a unique smell! The bugs would also be unreal. So if you stayed inside in the “bug season” and you had no sense of smell, it would be perfect. Thanks for the post

[@glgardener4972]

This is absolutely beautiful... stunning. Placed perfectly in the landscape with the light playing all through the day. It's like being in a glorified tent......very peaceful.

[@janinademetriou-warburton6427]

Sublime lightness!

[@mwhuang1967]

Simply elegant and beautiful.

[@daryl5379]

Very, Very nice, great choice. A pleasant surprise from RIBA as their usual choices are generally old fashioned somewhat backwood, uninteresting piles compared to the rest of the world but this choice is inspired and quite magic.

[@tylero8595]

That may be one of the most stunningly beautiful homes ever designed and built. Thats amazng.

[@dt-qh2cj]

Great Design!! -- CRAZY good craftsmen worked on constructing those tiny details

[@boydsargeant7496]

Lovely home, lovely location!

[@sm70911]

incredible - amazing piece of land, beautiful building that doesn't overpower but has the authority of an Asian governess.

[@ThreeRunHomer]

I love how the roof is a light cover extending far wide of the enclosed structure.

[@wendydawe3874]

This house exudes peace. Beautiful!

[@Xyzabc998]

Quite something and how interesting to see something that reflects the owners preferences but is not egotistical, bombastic. For once, a really innovative use of glass and steel. Very delicate. There is hope in modern architecture instead of the many huge, glass, concrete & metal ego boxes.

[@simonpannett8810]

Beautifully simple lines and great use of space!!

[@kamgaoswald6313]

Cool! The form instead reminds me of the Bamileke Architecture in the grass field Cameroon

[@Kerbeygrip]

How lovely to be able to commission a house like that. In my dreams.

[@user-mi7hm1qv5s]

Elegance in simplicity.

[@user-wh8zj1kf9w]

TOP !!!

[@a-complished4406]

It’s ethereal, a life style to aspire ❤

[@tabithan2978]

As a birder, this is my dream house!

[@keithronson2624]

Amazing. Incredible. And true to the landscape and inspiration. Floating on air, resting in a beautiful landscape. It is perfection in every sense. Materials and quality. It is so simple and clean. Perfectly meets every need. And in doing so becomes a perfect home. This is British Architecture at it's finest. Congratulations to you all. Incredible effort.

[@kamgaoswald6313]

True but I don't think this is British Architecture

[@nperkinsuoguelph]

Paraphrasing the architect, the client is a keen gardener, she has interest in the seasons, weather, and landscape generally...Aside from the lovely green carpet on which this gem sits it escapes me how this architectural sculpture is 'integrated' with the site or larger landscape. To see how it can be done right look up A.E. Bye or any competent landscape architect and their approach to siting a building within nature not on top of it.

[@user-xt3gh6du9r]

Genius

[@skiptheroad]

Where do you store the lawnmower?

[@donmugambi5442]

wow

[@Molloy1951]

Incredibly elegant construction. *PS: the audio quality is sufferable

[@dooleyfussle8634]

Did anyone spot storage? I like the "spare" look but wonder where the stuff of life is?

[@fionaanderson5796]

There seems to be a reasonable amount built into the long wall of the dinning room, and some built in wardrobes on the approach to the bed. OTOH there doesn't seem to be much for the kitchen, not even space for crockery for the number of people that table seats, never mind pots, pans, baking trays, cake tins, etc. Nowhere for the kettle and toaster either, or food processor and slow cooker.

[@scottstorm7765]

That is stretching the definition of ‘house’ quite a bit. It’s more like a luxury cabin.

[@ernestinehemingway7799]

it looks like a conference centre the audio quality is distorted

[@qek191]

I had problem with the delicate structure, that came to be important as the story unfolded into a very good architecture

[@Denscaff82]

3 containers and a garden nursery roof

[@user-wr9vg4nu3n]

so the architects know of Glenn Murcutt ?

[@draganmilinov5470]

What is the cost of such a project?

[@boxpleasebox]

How much to create?🌿

[@carinwiseman4309]

If this is a salt marsh, then this house should have been elevated.

[@R.E.A.L.I.T.Y]

No means of expression beyond its own mode of construction. To paraphrase Edward Albee: Who’s afraid of Adolf Loos?

[@carolinawren3594]

once in a decade?

[@yuukihoffner8433]

Beautiful, but WHERE is it? In the English speaking world, OK, where?

[@Anon-hh8uj]

It's right there in the video description. And if it wasn't, a simple Google search easily locates it. Duh!

[@yuukihoffner8433]

@Anon-hh8uj What an unfriendly pseudo-answer you have given. Do you feel better now, liberated maybe? Imagine that there are also people whose mother tongue is NOT English and who therefor missed out on the exact place. We are following these informations from other continents, from Latin America, Asia, Europe...

[@yuukihoffner8433]

The place and country are NOT mentioned in the video, I checked this.

[@Anon-hh8uj]

@@yuukihoffner8433 -Saltmarsh House, Isle of Wight by Niall McLaughlin Architects

[@Anon-hh8uj]

Duh. It's right there! Open your eyes! Now go on google maps and search Isle Of Wight. NOT hard. Do you have someone to wipe your bottom for you too? And remind you to breathe?

[@philcliffe6909]

Not for me i'm afraid. Looks too much like a commercial structure.

[@d.b.q.p.1540]

болото? Необычно для загородного домика, хотя в ближайщем будущем вся планета будет болотом, возможно сталкеры будут рады с их любимой локацией

[@hh-kq7iq]

חקי חיון , אינו לטעמי.

[@glowwurm9365]

1 bedroom, tiny kitchen, table that seats 16 (how you feeding that lot from that kitchen) and more seating space than you’d need for a PL match day squad, what a waste of space…. folks fapping over this because of the location, the building itself has the same frame structure as my local garden centre.

[@JaminInDarkness]

I get what you're saying, but this presentation shows the beauty here, from the natural (and man-made) landscape of the bay to the thought put into the design of the house and property. Yes, there are downsides, including the sheer amount of money needed here, but it is still beautiful, despite the lack of native plants in the yard and the landscaping. It's still a piece of art. 0:26

[@glowwurm9365]

@@JaminInDarkness I don't dispute the beauty of the landscape, but to suggest a structure which is ill conceived is a great design is laughable. Its a shambles of a building...

[@XTSu-sl1bb]

Too complicated

[@steved2008]

Whenever I hear the phrase “it speaks to that” I immediately cringe hard

[@JohnSmith-zo6ir]

Mee too. All condescending b.s.

[@JohnSmith-zo6ir]

@@AlanCarter-pw4bm 👍🤣👏👏👏

[@plyoung11]

Or …references…. (Cringe)

[@Andrew-vx2ls]

A steel structure near a salt marsh? Weird idea. CLT would have been a better plan. This is simply not the right project here and will gets its architects a bad name.

[@justinleemiller]

House built to entertain dozens of people. Tiny kitchen. Lol.