Black Swan House

Black Swan House is a 310m² family home set within a clearing in the New Forest. The name derives from the charred larch cladding that wraps the exterior — a traditional Japanese technique called Shou Sugi Ban — giving the building a dark, weathered presence that recedes into the shadows of the surrounding trees. Inside, the mood shifts: pale ash joinery, whitewashed walls, and double-height spaces flooded with light from carefully positioned rooflights. The plan is arranged around a central hearth — a freestanding Corten steel fireplace that anchors the open-plan living space. Bedrooms are arranged in a separate wing, connected by a glazed link that frames views into the tree canopy.