Crescent House exemplifies how a novel form may fulfill the requirements of a brief better than a conventional box. As a shape, the crescent is ideally suited to personal living space, because it shelters and encloses while at the same time opening out and forging a sense of connection with the exterior world.
Two nested crescents sit side by side, connected by a curving circulation and gallery space that runs the length of the building. The outer crescent contains bedrooms, bathrooms and private living areas and turns a solid convex wall to the nearby road. The inner crescent is devoted to the family activities of cooking, eating, relaxing and playing, and a full-height concave glass wall draws the early morning sun into the house and offers an uninterrupted view of the garden. The arms of the crescent extend to embrace the landscape beyond, framing a view which extends to the Downs and the White Horse in the distance.