Mountain Biker’s House
Thornhill, Hope Valley, Peak District National Park
The extension and refurbishment of an existing farmhouse in the hamlet of Thornhill, in the foothills of Win Hill within the Peak District. The house occupies an unusually level plateau, with long views across the Hope Valley and a close relationship to the surrounding landscape.
The existing building sat awkwardly within the plot and was limited in both scale and environmental performance. The project sought to create more generous, well-connected living spaces while responding carefully to orientation, topography and views.
New accommodation was arranged to strengthen the relationship between interior spaces and the landscape, allowing the house to open outwards without overwhelming its setting.
Material choices and detailing were developed to sit comfortably within the rural context, with a restrained palette used to support clarity and robustness rather than visual statement. The resulting house balances everyday practicality with a strong sense of place, shaped as much by patterns of use as by its setting in the Peak District landscape.
