The Long House is a two-storey, new-build dwelling in Somerton, Somerset, designed by Neil Choudhury Architects. The 350 square-metre project is built into a steeply sloping site and overlooks a pond, mill stream and garden. Conceived as a liberal reinterpretation of local long houses, the plan measures six-metres wide by 40-metres long with a traditional flat gable end. A contemporary tweak is that the plan is cranked around the central entrance hall and stairwell. All habitable rooms face the garden to the south.
The Long House is the home and workplace of a couple leaving the city to fulfil their ambition to create a bespoke home and significant garden. It is tailored to a detailed brief and conceived as suites of rooms in wings. All habitable rooms are focused on the garden with a variety of views and relationships with the garden which is designed by James Alexander Sinclair.
The west wing is the social heart of the house, with the kitchen, dining and sitting room located on the upper floor, and arranged in a linear sequence leading to an elevated panoramic view of the garden. The east wing contains the master bedroom suite enfilade. This is arranged in order of privacy: snug, master bedroom, master bathroom and dressing rooms. The lower floor accommodates guest accommodation, workrooms, a study, boot room, cellar, pantry and other ancillary spaces.
