Modern house with large glass windows and triangular roof, illuminated interior visible at twilight, surrounded by a lawn and trees.

Sycamore House – A contemporary downsizing project

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Aluminium bifold doorsAluminium casement windowsCurtain WallingFrench and glazed doorsFront doorsGable end windowsGrand Slider II

Set within the village of Willingham in Cambridgeshire, Sycamore House is a striking contemporary home that demonstrates how thoughtful architecture and carefully specified glazing systems can transform a site. Designed by Gary Johns Architects and built by Ley Construction, the property was conceived as a downsizing project that would allow the homeowners to remain in the village they had lived in all their lives. Rather than move away, the clients chose to build a new home within the generous grounds of their existing property, creating a bespoke modern dwelling in their own rear garden.

Bright, light-filled open plan home

The modern home delivers an impressive sense of openness and light through its use of vaulted ceilings, expansive glazing and carefully designed living spaces. The house centres around a series of open-plan areas where kitchen, dining and living spaces flow seamlessly together, creating a bright and welcoming environment for everyday living and entertaining. The pitched roof forms play a key architectural role, not only defining the building externally but also creating dramatic internal volumes that enhance the feeling of space and allow natural light to flood deep into the home.

Modern two-storey house with large glass windows and doors, outdoor seating area, and landscaped garden on a sunny day. One of the defining architectural features of the property is the use of fully glazed gables within the pitched roof structures. These striking glazed elevations were designed and manufactured using IDSystems’ curtain walling profile, enabling the architects to maximise the amount of glass while minimising the need for heavy structural steel supports. The result is an elegant façade where expansive glazing frames views of the surrounding garden and connects the interior spaces with the landscape beyond.

“The glazed gables were both straight-forward and incredibly complex. Straight-forward because, having worked so closely with the architects during the initial specification of the project, their vision was really clear, but turning that vision into a practical solution with angled fixed frame glazing was rather more complex. The expertise of the IDSystems CAD designers and technical team allowed us to minimise the volume of frame whilst ensuring the clean lines required by the planned drawings.”

A custom combination of glazing solutions

Within these glazed gables, French doors were specified to further enhance the connection between inside and outside. Opening directly onto the patio and landscaped garden, the doors create an effortless transition from the open-plan living areas to the outdoor entertaining spaces. During warmer months the doors can be fully opened, allowing fresh air and natural light to flow through the house while reinforcing the sense of openness that defines the design.

A bright dining area with large triangular windows overlooks a garden. A wooden table with chairs sits in the centre, surrounded by light-coloured furniture and modern pendant lights. Complementing the glazed gables, the property also incorporates aluminium windows, bifold doors and sliding doors – each designed for a specific purpose within the overall structure. The frames of the glazing are manufactured in Silk Grey (RAL 7044) finish to provide a soft, understated tone, ensuring that the glazing remains the dominant feature while maintaining a refined and contemporary appearance throughout the property.

Finishing touches make a real statement

Externally, the architectural palette combines a mixture of materials that give Sycamore House its distinctive modern character. Crisp white render and warm yellow brickwork form the primary wall finishes, while carefully detailed zinc cladding adds a contemporary contrast and defines key architectural elements of the roof structure. This considered blend of materials creates a building that feels both modern and grounded within its Cambridgeshire setting.

Modern house exterior with light brick and white walls, grey roof tiles, large front windows, and potted plants by the entrance. A white dog is visible through the window. Internally, the home has been finished to an exceptional standard. The interior features include a hand-crafted painted kitchen that forms the heart of the open-plan living space, alongside a striking designer staircase incorporating oak treads with glass and chrome balustrading. Contemporary doors, high-quality ironmongery, stylish sanitaryware and carefully chosen flooring complete the refined interior specification, reflecting the clients’ desire to create a home that feels both elegant and comfortable.

Through the use of carefully engineered glazing systems and thoughtful architectural design, Sycamore House demonstrates how modern curtain walling, aluminium windows and glazed gables can transform a residential project, creating a home defined by light, openness and a seamless connection to its surroundings.

Location: Willingham, Cambridgeshire
Architects: Gary Johns Architects
Main contractor: Ley Construction
Roofline products: ARP Limited
Photos: Matthew Smith Architectural Photography

Gallery

Modern two-storey house with large glass windows and patio seating, illuminated in the evening against a clear sky.
Modern house with large glass windows and gable roofs, featuring a patio with outdoor furniture and potted plants on a lawn.
Modern kitchen and dining area with large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a green garden; white worktops, pendant lights, and visible cooker.
Modern house with large glass windows, gabled roofs, and a patio featuring outdoor seating and potted plants, set against a green lawn and partly cloudy sky.
A bright dining area with large triangular windows overlooks a garden. A wooden table with chairs sits in the centre, surrounded by light-coloured furniture and modern pendant lights.
Modern house exterior with light brick and white walls, grey roof tiles, large front windows, and potted plants by the entrance. A white dog is visible through the window.
Bright dining room with a long wooden table, chairs, a vase of white flowers, large glass doors, and light-coloured furnishings. Sunlight streams in from the windows.
Modern patio with glass doors, grey wicker outdoor dining set for eight, potted plants, and view into a living room with contemporary furniture.
Modern bathroom with glass shower enclosure, wall-mounted toilet, bath under a frosted window, and a white washbasin with toiletries on the counter.
Modern two-storey house with brick and white exterior, large windows, gravel drive, garage, and potted plants near the entrance on a sunny day.
Modern two-storey house with light brick and white exterior, large windows, skylights, and an attached garage, photographed under a clear blue sky.
Modern house with large glass windows, two gable roofs, and a stone patio featuring a round wicker dining set and potted plants under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern kitchen with a large island, pendant lights, white cupboards, a wall clock, and a window showing a garden with a patio parasol.
Modern house with large glass windows, pitched roofs, and a spacious patio set on a well-kept lawn under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern two-storey house with light brick and cream exterior, large windows, and a grey tiled roof. A double garage and drive are visible in front.
Modern house with large windows and patio featuring a round table with eight wicker chairs, surrounded by potted plants and a lawn under a partly cloudy sky.
A sunlit dining room with a wooden table, chairs, a vase of white lilies, china cabinet, and glass doors opening to a patio and green garden.
A modern entrance hall with an open door, a potted plant, a small table with a lamp, and a view of a blue convertible parked outside on a drive.
Modern white house with stone accents and large windows, featuring a patio with outdoor furniture and potted plants, set against a green lawn under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern two-storey house with light brick and white exterior, grey roof, large windows, and skylights. The drive has potted plants and the lights by the entrance are on.
Modern two-storey house with large windows, brick and white exterior, attached garage, and driveway at dusk. Outdoor lights are on, and the sky is clear.
Modern house exterior with large windows, a glass balcony with seating, and a patio area featuring a black table, chairs, and potted plants.
Modern two-storey house with large glass windows, pitched roof, and well-maintained lawn, surrounded by trees and partly cloudy sky.
Modern two-storey house with large glass windows and doors, outdoor seating area, and landscaped garden on a sunny day.
Modern kitchen with a large island, four wooden chairs, stainless steel appliances, white cupboards, and three pendant lights hanging above the island.
Open-plan living space with a glass staircase, wooden floors, a dining table set by large windows, and natural light filling the room.
Modern kitchen with a large island, four wooden stools, hanging pendant lights, a potted orchid, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a green garden.
A modern living room with large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooks a sunny garden with outdoor seating and a round dining table on the terrace.
Modern bedroom with a large bed, neutral bed linen, two patterned chairs, wall sconces, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking greenery.
Modern house exterior with light brick and white walls, grey front door, potted plants, three small windows, and a bench in a paved entryway.
Modern living room with white furniture, blue accents, a wall-mounted fireplace, a TV on a stand, and large windows overlooking a garden.
Modern two-storey house with large glass windows and outdoor patio, illuminated at dusk, surrounded by a lawn and trees.
Modern two-storey house with large glass windows and patio seating, illuminated in the evening against a clear sky.
Modern house with large glass windows and gable roofs, featuring a patio with outdoor furniture and potted plants on a lawn.
Modern kitchen and dining area with large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a green garden; white worktops, pendant lights, and visible cooker.
Modern house with large glass windows, gabled roofs, and a patio featuring outdoor seating and potted plants, set against a green lawn and partly cloudy sky.
A bright dining area with large triangular windows overlooks a garden. A wooden table with chairs sits in the centre, surrounded by light-coloured furniture and modern pendant lights.
Modern house exterior with light brick and white walls, grey roof tiles, large front windows, and potted plants by the entrance. A white dog is visible through the window.
Bright dining room with a long wooden table, chairs, a vase of white flowers, large glass doors, and light-coloured furnishings. Sunlight streams in from the windows.
Modern patio with glass doors, grey wicker outdoor dining set for eight, potted plants, and view into a living room with contemporary furniture.
Modern bathroom with glass shower enclosure, wall-mounted toilet, bath under a frosted window, and a white washbasin with toiletries on the counter.
Modern two-storey house with brick and white exterior, large windows, gravel drive, garage, and potted plants near the entrance on a sunny day.
Modern two-storey house with light brick and white exterior, large windows, skylights, and an attached garage, photographed under a clear blue sky.
Modern house with large glass windows, two gable roofs, and a stone patio featuring a round wicker dining set and potted plants under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern kitchen with a large island, pendant lights, white cupboards, a wall clock, and a window showing a garden with a patio parasol.
Modern house with large glass windows, pitched roofs, and a spacious patio set on a well-kept lawn under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern two-storey house with light brick and cream exterior, large windows, and a grey tiled roof. A double garage and drive are visible in front.
Modern house with large windows and patio featuring a round table with eight wicker chairs, surrounded by potted plants and a lawn under a partly cloudy sky.
A sunlit dining room with a wooden table, chairs, a vase of white lilies, china cabinet, and glass doors opening to a patio and green garden.
A modern entrance hall with an open door, a potted plant, a small table with a lamp, and a view of a blue convertible parked outside on a drive.
Modern white house with stone accents and large windows, featuring a patio with outdoor furniture and potted plants, set against a green lawn under a partly cloudy sky.
Modern two-storey house with light brick and white exterior, grey roof, large windows, and skylights. The drive has potted plants and the lights by the entrance are on.
Modern two-storey house with large windows, brick and white exterior, attached garage, and driveway at dusk. Outdoor lights are on, and the sky is clear.
Modern house exterior with large windows, a glass balcony with seating, and a patio area featuring a black table, chairs, and potted plants.
Modern two-storey house with large glass windows, pitched roof, and well-maintained lawn, surrounded by trees and partly cloudy sky.
Modern two-storey house with large glass windows and doors, outdoor seating area, and landscaped garden on a sunny day.
Modern kitchen with a large island, four wooden chairs, stainless steel appliances, white cupboards, and three pendant lights hanging above the island.
Open-plan living space with a glass staircase, wooden floors, a dining table set by large windows, and natural light filling the room.
Modern kitchen with a large island, four wooden stools, hanging pendant lights, a potted orchid, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a green garden.
A modern living room with large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooks a sunny garden with outdoor seating and a round dining table on the terrace.
Modern bedroom with a large bed, neutral bed linen, two patterned chairs, wall sconces, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking greenery.
Modern house exterior with light brick and white walls, grey front door, potted plants, three small windows, and a bench in a paved entryway.
Modern living room with white furniture, blue accents, a wall-mounted fireplace, a TV on a stand, and large windows overlooking a garden.
Modern two-storey house with large glass windows and outdoor patio, illuminated at dusk, surrounded by a lawn and trees.

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