1960s modernism: Ian Fraser & Associates-designed property in Newnham, Hampshire
We love this 1960s Ian Fraser & Associates-designed modernist property in Newnham, Hampshire, as well as the contrast it has with the setting.
That setting is in rural Newnham, with the house located in a historic Conservation Area on a small no-through road, which in turn leads to a 12th Century church. It also overlooks the village green of the quiet Hampshire village too.
But don’t worry too much about being isolated, as this village is just four miles from the larger town of Basingstoke, with access to plenty of other amenities in the local area too.
So a quaint setting, that’s for sure. The architecture here must have caused quite a stir in the late 1960s. It still is a striking build too. The front elevation is more subdued, but the rear is the talking point here.
All of what you see is the work of London-based architects Ian Fraser & Associates with a brief, we presume, to bring in the light and make the most of the views. Job done if that was the case.
The rear of the house is pretty much all glazing, looking out over the substantial gardens that come with this place. You’ll rarely see this amount of land on a modern-day new build.
At first glance, it looks like modernist perfection, but look closer and that’s not quite the case today. The agent says that has been ‘much loved by the family’ and now is ‘in need of some updating’. The photography certainly backs that up.
The design itself has survived the years well and we love the fact that the original detailing, by and large, is still in place. But some of the finishes are looking a little tired.
Yes, the open spaces, the high ceilings and the glazing are the perfect ingredients for someone’s dream home. But some of the fittings, as well as the kitchen and the bathroom spaces really do need a rethink. It just needs a fresh pair of eyes to rethink and rework this for the 21st century without taking away the character of the 20th century.
Plenty of space though. You enter via a double-height entrance hall, which in turn leads to the dining room overlooking the garden, leading onto a ‘semi open plan space’ with the kitchen. A large bedroom, a smaller bedroom and a family bathroom are also present on this floor. In addition to that, a large utility room links the kitchen to the garage and from the garage to a ‘cleverly designed’ greenhouse.
There are stairs from the entrance hall to the galleried landing on the first floor. Head one way to two more bedrooms, including the large master bedroom with en-suite or go the other way for a living room that runs the entire depth of the house.
We mentioned the substantial gardens, but there is also a short driveway for off-street car parking too.
Hopefully this one ends up in the right hands. If that might be you, the asking price is £895,000.
Images and details courtesy of The Modern House. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.
