Fibonacci House: How The Independent Design Review Panel Helped Shape a Para 84(e) Masterpiece in Northamptonshire
- Jonathan Braddick
- Jul 9
- 8 min read
Project Name: Fibonacci House
Location: Land off Cottesbrooke Road, Naseby, Northamptonshire
Architect: Collaborative Architecture (collaborative-architecture.uk)
Planning Consultant: Barry Waine Planning
Landscape Architect: Alistair W Baldwin Landscape Architecture
Local Planning Authority: West Northamptonshire Council
Panel Review Dates:
· 16th August 2022 (in-person review with site visit)
· September 2023 (remote desktop review)
· 15th February 2024 (remote desktop review)
Outcome: Approved under delegated powers
Planning Reference Number: 2024/2433/FULL
Decision Date: 24th June 2025
Approved in June 2025 under delegated powers by West Northamptonshire Council, Fibonacci House is a remarkable case study in how independent design review can support outstanding, policy-compliant rural architecture. Designed by Collaborative Architecture and reviewed three times by The Design Review Panel, the project exemplifies the collaborative power of constructive critique, design integrity, and planning rigour.
Nestled in the rolling countryside just outside Naseby, Northamptonshire, Fibonacci House is a one-of-a-kind, zero-carbon home commissioned by a rock star musician as a retreat for creativity, nature, and solitude. Sited along Cottesbrooke Road and falling within the jurisdiction of West Northamptonshire Council, the proposal was approved on 24 June 2025 under reference 2024/2433/FULL—without the need for appeal or committee.
This is not a home that simply meets policy; it elevates it. Drawing conceptual inspiration from the Fibonacci sequence and the natural geometries of living organisms, the proposal achieved planning consent under the highly demanding criteria of Paragraph 84(e) of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). It is a dwelling of true architectural distinction, shaped as much by its own internal rigour as by the repeated engagement with The Design Review Panel.
“Fibonacci House is a one-of-a-kind, biophilic residence designed for a rock star musician under NPPF Paragraph 84e. This zero-carbon, timber-built home sits atop a rammed earth base sourced from the very site it occupies, overlooking a stunning landscape. Inspired by the Fibonacci sequence and the forms of natural organisms, Fibonacci House combines exceptional design, sustainability, and artistic intent. With its whimsical, folly-like structure, the residence invites harmony between nature and creativity, offering breathtaking views and a true sanctuary for music and contemplation.” — Kevin Brown, Chartered Architect and director at Collaborative Architecture
The road to planning approval was a steady ascent, and one that relied not only on the creative brilliance of the design team but also on their willingness to test, adapt, and refine their vision.
The Design Review Panel first encountered the project in August 2022 during a four-hour in-person review, which included a site visit. At that stage, the ambition of the concept was applauded, but the Panel raised a number of probing questions: Could the siting better respond to the landscape’s natural contours? Was the building’s distinctive architectural language truly working in harmony with the setting? Did the structural resolution support the narrative of a biophilic, zero-carbon home?
A second review in September 2023 found that the team had made considerable progress.
The Panel acknowledged the evolution of both the architecture and the accompanying landscape strategy. Supporting documentation had become more robust, and there was a clearer articulation of how the spiralling floor plan—modelled on natural growth patterns—responded to the topography of the land. However, as ever in the context of Paragraph 84(e), the threshold for success remained exetremely high. The Panel encouraged further clarity in how the building’s form, materiality and ecological function would integrate with its surroundings. They also flagged a need to express the project’s sustainability credentials with greater precision, particularly in relation to energy performance and construction impact.
By the time the proposal returned to the Panel in February 2024, a step-change was evident. The design had matured in confidence, composition, and technical articulation. The Panel offered unambiguous support, stating:
“It is considered the proposal now meets the high standards of paragraph 84(e) of the NPPF.”
The third session marked not just an endorsement of the project’s architectural quality, but a recognition of the process undertaken to get there. As the Panel Chair for this session Jonathan Braddick observed:-
“This is a compelling example of how early and consistent engagement with independent multidiciplinary design review can elevate a scheme to a level of true architectural distinction, that is both sensitive to and enhances its setting. Our role was not to advise but to challenge and support the team and local planning authority as an independent and impartial critical friend.”
The planning officer’s report mirrored this sentiment. It noted that:-
“... the proposed development has been subject to three design review panels... which is an iterative process, and one that is encouraged by government guidance.”
The officer added that:-
“... the latest report from The Design Review Panel [www.designreviewpanel.co.uk] provides clear conclusions and confirms that the proposal now satisfies the tests set out in paragraph 84(e) of the NPPF.”
Crucially, the report stated:
“The advice of the Panel is considered a material consideration and has informed the assessment of the application,”
concluding that:-
“officers give significant weight to the conclusion of The Design Review Panel.”
This emphasis on the Panel’s role helped to shape a confident delegated decision:
“Having regard to the latest feedback from the Panel and the planning history, it is considered that the proposal is truly outstanding and would significantly enhance its immediate setting.”
The architectural response is deeply entwined with its rural setting. The house sits atop a soft ridge, commanding sweeping views across cereal crops and native woodland, while remaining visually grounded in the landscape. It is part sculpture, part dwelling. From the use of rammed earth and exposed timber to the sculptural curvature of its spiralling form, Fibonacci House does not mimic the vernacular—it converses with it.
“This biophilic design mirrors the intricate forms of creatures and the golden ratios found in nature, from shell spirals to branching patterns. The curved, timber structure follows Fibonacci’s mathematical sequence, translating natural growth into organic, flowing spaces that inspire creativity. The home’s walls and windows mimic the rhythm and structure of natural organisms, creating airy, interconnected rooms that enhance light, airflow, and acoustic quality. Perched above the landscape like a playful architectural folly, the house becomes a sculptural piece within its environment, inviting both admiration and interaction.” — Kevin Brown, Chartered Architect and director at Collaborative Architecture
Sustainability is not merely a feature but a foundational principle. Locally sourced materials—including clay excavated from the site—form the building’s core. Solar panels are set discreetly into the biodiverse field margin. Rainwater harvesting, natural ventilation, and off-grid capabilities are carefully interwoven. The design aspires to Passivhaus air tightness and minimises embodied carbon. In its final form, the proposal shifts beyond compliance into advocacy: a building that demonstrates what rural architecture can achieve when creative ambition and environmental responsibility coalesce.
“Built as a zero-carbon home, Fibonacci House incorporates locally sourced timber and a base of rammed earth from its surroundings, blending seamlessly with the landscape and reducing its environmental impact. Solar panels, rainwater harvesting, and natural insulation sustain an off-grid lifestyle. Designed with biophilic principles, this home prioritizes connection to nature with expansive windows, indoor plants, and natural light, blurring boundaries between indoor and outdoor environments.” — Kevin Brown, Chartered Architect and director at Collaborative Architecture
The benefits of The Design Review Panel process were evident not just in the final design, but in the decision-making journey. For the local planning authority, the Panel offered a structured and transparent means of testing the proposal against Paragraphs 84(e), 138, and 139 of the NPPF. For the applicant, it provided an invaluable external lens—one that was at once rigorous and collegiate. The result is a rural dwelling of rare distinction, approved without contention, and cited as a benchmark for future exceptional homes.
“Fibonacci House is more than a residence; it is a biophilic retreat that champions eco-conscious luxury and design ingenuity. Inspired by creatures’ forms and natural rhythms, this folly-like structure is a celebration of the musician’s art and the beauty of its landscape. It exemplifies Paragraph 84e’s highest standards, offering a sustainable, inspiring haven that harmonizes music, nature, and architectural wonder.” — Kevin Brown, Chartered Architect and director at Collaborative Architecture
As Paragraph 138 of the NPPF makes clear:-
“Local planning authorities should ensure that they have access to, and make appropriate use of, tools and processes for assessing and improving the design of development. For assessing proposals there is a range of tools including workshops to engage the local community, design advice and review arrangements … These are of most benefit if used as early as possible in the evolution of schemes, and are particularly important for significant projects… In assessing applications, local planning authorities should have regard to the outcome from these processes, including any recommendations made by design review panels.”
And in relation to outstanding and innovative design, Paragraph 139 adds:-
“Development of exceptional quality should be truly outstanding or innovative, reflecting the highest standards in architecture. It should help to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas and significantly enhance its immediate setting.”
Fibonacci House is both a case study in excellence and a quiet manifesto for the future of rural architecture. It shows how visionary design, when supported by critical friends and rooted in a robust planning process, can deliver places of inspiration, imagination, and integrity.
For more on how The Design Review Panel operates—providing impartial, independent design review in line with national planning policy—visit www.designreviewpanel.co.uk. The Panel is not there to support or oppose applications, but to promote design quality in the public interest, offering constructive independent and impartial critique for the benefit of applicants, decision makers, and the wider community and also to uplift the standard of design quality more generally across England.
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This case study exemplifies the benefits of engaging The Design Review Panel as follows:-
Independent Expertise: Our multidisciplinary & expert Panel offers unbiased insights across architecture, landscape design, ecology, conservation and more – for the benefit of both applicants and local planning authorities.
Material Consideration: Our feedback carries significant weight in planning decisions (in accordance with para 138 of the NPPF), as demonstrated by this project.
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