Designing with Nature: Why it is So Important (Part 2)

At OVS, we are passionate about designing with nature in mind. Our architecture and interior design projects celebrate natural light, landscape views, and biophilic design principles. We believe that integrating the essence of the outdoors into our work enhances our living spaces.

A Seamless Transition Between Indoors and Outdoors

In part 2 of 2, we showcase three projects designed with nature, offering inspiration for creating a smooth flow between the inside and outside of your home.

Green Studio

The Green Studio is a beautiful example of how architecture can foster a connection to creativity and nature. For artist Emma, we sought to design a studio that embraces its surroundings while supporting the rhythms of artistic production. The result is a sanctuary that is aesthetically harmonious as well as flexible and practical.

Central to the design is the way the studio embraces its natural environment. We paid careful attention to the movement of sunlight throughout the day, allowing natural light to infuse the interior and animate the space. This interplay of light and shadow fosters a dynamic atmosphere that subtly changes with the seasons and weather.

Rather than dominating the landscape, the studio emerges from it, blending old and new by preserving elements of the site's listed architectural history. Natural materials wrap the interior and exterior, softening thresholds and creating a continuous dialogue between inside and out. Skylights and openings frame views and pull nature into the studio.

Poised Arch

Poised Arch is a beautiful example of how an extension can dissolve the boundary between home and garden. Set within the dense Victorian terraces of the Chiswick Expansion, this project responded to the pressing need for space. For this project we reimagined an existing rear extension, reconfiguring constrained living and kitchen areas and transforming the space into a fluid, light-filled volume.

Working within permitted development, the design celebrates and amplifies the original curved roof form, exaggerating its sweep to create a bold sculptural gesture. This striking form frames a fully transparent rear façade, creating a seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces. Clever structural solutions allow the brick roof to appear as if it is just a single layer deep, creating a paradoxical sensation of solidity and weightlessness. Here, the architecture does not contain but rather dissolves the boundary between inside and outside.

The Farmstead

The Farmstead is an annexe designed in dialogue with its unique surroundings. For this project, we were commissioned to transform a narrow section of the client’s barn into a guest house, with the goal of celebrating both the breathtaking views and the building’s rich industrial farming heritage.

A subtle glass and timber box extension opens the living areas to the surrounding environment. The transparent, sculptural form frames views, creating a seamless transition between inside and outside. The bedrooms and the living spaces are connected by an open-air pergola. This unique design allows nature to become an integral part of daily life, inviting changing light, weather, and the experience of the countryside into the heart of the annexe.

Materials play a key role in creating a sense of permeability between the interior and the exterior. Inside, exposed timber beams, and brickwork form a textured palette that echoes the barn’s industrial past while connecting the space in the surrounding countryside. The blending of contemporary elements with the barn's historic fabric creates a tactile sensory experience.

The Farmstead is both visually striking and deeply integrated into the landscape.

If you would like to discuss how we can help you create a seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces using considered architectural and interior design, please do not hesitate to get in touch.