A House for Essex
Art and architecture in an Essex landscape
A House for Essex sits on the slopes of the Stour estuary in north Essex looking across the river towards Suffolk. It is a unique collaboration between architect, Charles Holland and artist, Grayson Perry, and explores a shared interest in decoration, ornament and the history of Essex.
Commissioned by Alain de Botton’s Living Architecture, this unique project has been conceived as a gallery, an artwork in its own right and an immersive place in which the public can stay.
A House for Essex appears as a small, beautifully crafted object amidst the trees and fields. Its form and decoration of the house explores the special character and unique qualities of Essex.
Inside, the building is conceived as an enfilade of spaces that build in intensity towards the main living room.
Art and architecture are integrated with a number of specially commissioned artworks by Grayson Perry. The exterior is clad in bespoke ceramic tiles and the roof features a number of cast aluminium figurative sculptures. Inside, the building is conceived as an enfilade of spaces that build in intensity towards the main living room. Decoratively it pays homage to the range of sources including arts and crafts architecture, English baroque and the folk architecture of stave churches.
A House for Essex is a testament to the idea that art and architecture can lift our spirits and allow us to experience the world through the eyes of others, both in reality and fiction. It has won numerous awards, featured in a Channel 4 documentary and become one of the best known and most-visited new houses in the UK.
A House for Essex is a FAT project.
