The Country House Ideal: Recent work by ADAM Architecture

Any new country house is a descendant of a long and varied Classical tradition and yet it must meet the requirements of a vastly different modern-day world. ADAM Architecture has an international reputation for its diverse portfolio, and its country houses are among the practice’s most admired work.

THE COUNTRY HOUSE IDEAL explores the way in which ADAM Architecture – a practice of five directors: Robert Adam, Nigel Anderson, Paul Hanvey, Hugh Petter and George Saumarez Smith, each with a distinct architectural personality – uses historical precedents, techniques and materials to give expression to thoroughly modern works. Illustrated throughout with specially commissioned photography by Paul Barker, this beautifully produced book places the modern country house in its rich historical context. ADAM Architecture’s country houses reflect a variety of historic styles, and these are featured in the four main chapters of the book: Anglo-Classical, Rural Romantics, Palladian and Neoclassical. Each chapter opens with an essay introducing the style, before moving on to explore several magnificent modern houses that exemplify it.