Pillwood House

Pillwood House is a High-Tech holiday home designed by John Miller of Colquhoun and Miller with Su Rogers, built between 1973 and 1974. The structure is made from steel, aluminium, glass, and white glass reinforced plastic (GRP).

The house features two floors connected by two spiral staircases: one in the double-height space at the front and another leading from the parents’ bedroom and bathroom at the back, which also includes single-storey storage areas. The lower level accommodates sleeping areas, designed with a series of sliding walls that allow for flexibility; rooms can be opened or enclosed depending on the number of guests, with each room having a glazed door leading outside. The upper level contains the kitchen, dining, and main living spaces, which take advantage of the views. This area has a single partition, creating the feel of a platform within a conservatory, and includes a rear patio that opens onto the steep valley side. Natural ventilation is provided through louvres in the glazing at both the bottom and top, supplemented by blinds and the surrounding trees. The house features under-floor heating for winter, with a stove added later, and the panels are highly insulated by the standards of the time.

Structurally, the concrete floor slabs, originally covered in orange foam-backed vinyl, are supported by a steel frame consisting of eight columns, four horizontal members, and four pairs of trusses, all painted green to blend with the environment. The walls are made of white Artech GRP sandwich panels with neoprene joints, and the glazing is set in aluminium frames, which are also used for the roof. The two spiral staircases are constructed from green Artech GRP.