Architecture Wednesday: The Roundhouse

Set amid open countryside near Old Knebworth in Hertfordshire, this remarkable five-bedroom house was built on the site of a disused above-ground water tank. The circular Roundhouse radiates around a majestic central tree-like core from which its three levels and irregular roofline are suspended. Designed with handcrafted natural materials and sustainability at the forefront, it features over 4,820 square feet, with generously proportioned spaces for living and working.

The façade is defined by a jigsaw of stone, red-brick and Edwardian concrete, interspersed with bee bricks to encourage pollinators to nest. The house is topped by a weathervane and a striking cone-shaped reclaimed tiled roof, while expansive glass panels wrap all around, contributing to a sense of lightness.

The main entrance, on the first floor, is reached via an external staircase where you enter a porch with light washing down from the skylights above. There is plenty of storage space provided by hand-crafted joinery and a wooden staircase leading to an upper mezzanine floor.

The top floor is entirely occupied by the sweeping open plan reception area, where floor-to-ceiling windows remove the boundaries with the surrounding landscape while soaring ceilings and expansive skylights flood the space with natural light. Solid larch floorboards run underfoot, with large glass panels in circular formation offer a glimpse of the landing below. 

The main floor includes the kitchen, dining, and living areas. The focal point of the kitchen is a red electric-wood-fired Thornhill range cooker set into solid wood cabinetry, alongside a generous oak-topped island with seats for casual dining. Above the sink, a porthole window frames leafy views of the garden. Tucked to one side, a secondary kitchen provides additional storage and houses the integrated refrigerator and dishwasher.

There are two distinct lounging areas on this level, each catering to a different mood; one opens onto a balcony with views toward the gardens while the other is nestled in a more secluded part of the open plan and warmed by a wood burning stove. Also on this floor are the playroom and a powder room, while a light-filled mezzanine, perfect for a office, is up a small staircase.

A striking, spiral open-tread steel and ash staircase descends to the levels below. There are five bedrooms on the first floor, all accessible from the landing with the principal bedroom, with an en suite bath, opening directly onto the side garden. There is additional bathroom servicing the other bedrooms while the guest room has its own private bath.

Another staircase leads down to the versatile lower level, where a reclaimed brick archway gives way to a fully functioning oak bar with counter and a generous dining area. From here, doors open into the home gym/studio/theatre, with a wall of built-in cabinetry and cork flooring underfoot, and a separate bathroom. A wine cellar and laundry area round out the lower level.

An enchanting natural landscape wraps around the house, offering ever-changing views across the seasons. Wonderfully private, the landscaped gardens are bordered by hedgerows and established oak and fir trees, interspersed with terraced areas, shingled paths, and grassy lawns. To the rear, a paved terrace is arranged with a generous outdoor dining area looking out toward the country, sheltered from the sunlight by mature oak trees. 

The house can operate almost entirely off-grid, with a clear water septic tank, a wood-fired/electric range cooker, roof-top solar panels and an uneven shape that allows it to collect rainwater from the conical roof. Thermally broken Crittall windows enhance energy efficiency, while lightwells deliver abundant natural light to all floors. The central tree-trunk core, a towering 14-metre reclaimed steel pipe, serves as the main chimney, allowing warm air to circulate from the biomass boiler. The house has underfloor heating on all levels, 10kw of battery storage and is wired for high-speed internet connection.

The home is within easy reach of Cambridge, St Albans and under 30 minutes by train from London King's Cross and can be yours for $3.5M USD.

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The Modern House

Architecture Wednesday: Renovated 19th-century Manhattan Firehouse

Nestled in the heart of the West Village, this extraordinary 25-foot-wide, five-story townhouse—formerly a firehouse—has been transformed into a remarkable 6,850-square-foot private residence with private elevator. With a rare curb cut and a pristine four-car garage, this one-of-a-kind home blends historic charm with modern luxury and zoned for multi-use, allowing for a live-work space.

You enter the house via the second floor foyer staircase which is lit from above by a 26-foot-high ceiling, crowned by a skylight that floods the main space with natural light. The expansive living area includes exposed beams, brick walls, 25” feet of windows and a large wood-burning fireplace. The adjacent chef’s kitchen has soaring 15-foot ceilings with exposed wood beams, and French doors that open onto a beautifully landscaped 1,000-square-foot south-facing terrace equipped with built-in grilling station and irrigation—perfect for seamless indoor-outdoor living.

The third floor features a sun-drenched primary suite facing south and includes a walk-in closet and en-suite marble bath. There is a second spacious bedroom with an en-suite bath, along with a well-appointed laundry room.

On the fourth floor is a flew space, currently used as a bedroom with ensuite marble bathroom, with a floor-to-ceiling wall of glass leading to a large south-facing rooftop terrace. This room could easily be used as a den, studio or home office.

Access the ground floor 4-car garage is via a private elevator or use the restored original firehouse staircase which links the kitchen to a ground floor media room and powder room. The garage/gallery space offers conversion potential, seamlessly extending the living area or serving as a dedicated office space.

The basement level is currently outfitted as a fully equipped jazz club, with hand-painted murals, a powder room, a small office, and a wine cellar; the space can easily transform into a gym, playroom, or additional office.

Located in the West Village, one of Manhattan’s most coveted neighborhoods, this home offers access to world-class dining, boutique shopping, and cultural landmarks. With nearby parks, schools, and excellent transportation options, this one-of-a-kind residence delivers both privacy and convenience.

All for just $21,000,000.

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The Spaces

Architecture Wednesday: San Francisco Home With Guesthouse and Secret Garden

This is a special house in a very special city; a majestic home, a one-of-a-kind compound with two historic buildings set on a tree-lined block with its own private garden of towering palms, bamboo, flowering native plantings. With a powerful history from an earthquake shelter to a pipe organ factory to, well it is San Francisco, a bath house , there is a rich provenance in this property.

The two well-appointed dwellings offer a divine retreat from The City, potential for large scale entertaining and offering its occupants working space for artistic endeavors, collaboration, exchange of ideas and study.

In the main house, with soaring rugged beams and ceilings, is an expansive great room with tall windows facing the garden offering southern light. The open plan room features a living room with great fireplace, a dining area, and a professionally appointed kitchen, warmed by wide-plank flooring.

The main floor also includes a meditation-yoga space, one and one-half baths, a separate butler's pantry-catering kitchen as well as an additional full bath, clad in slate stone and ancient Indonesian wood, in the garage area for a post surf shower.

A mezzanine wraps the space and functions as an open studio space or lounge on one end, overlooking the main salon and providing access to the private sleeping quarters at the other; one is a sky-lit primary suite with en suite bath, as well as two additional bedrooms with luxurious shared bath, and private office.

Across the garden and up a flight of stairs is the charming one-bedroom guest cottage with classic turn-of-the-century detailing and a fresh modern finish; a combination living and dining area, a luminous lounge and deck overlooking the garden and its own private garage with storage, laundry, and workshop.

So much going for it: two homes in a total of 3475 square feet with five bedrooms and five full bathrooms for $4.8 million.

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Dwell