# Modern Concrete Chateaus The Stormy Castle House is Fit for a Princess By Vasiliki Marapas | Published 2014-05-12 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stormy-castle-house References: [dezeen](http://www.dezeen.com/2014/05/11/stormy-castle-house-loyn-and-co-charles-hosea/) & [loyn](http://loyn.co.uk/) Located in a protected area of 'Outstanding Natural Beauty' in the Welsh countryside, the Stormy Castle House has been designed with the landscape in mind. Loyn & Co Architects worked to minimize any significant impact on the rural surroundings by arranging the house into three volumes over [three stepped levels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/house-of-seven-floors). Architect James Stroud explains, "The proposal was [embedded into the hillside](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-cloud-house), using the natural topography of the site to create an earth shelter dwelling." The house is comprised of [bare concrete and rusted steel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lamat-house), materials which were chosen because of their connection to the local farm buildings. In fact, the architects chose to preserve two historic buildings; a former school house and goat shed were renovated into a gym and media room. The low-impact abode was arranged around the outdoor courtyards to ensure natural light reached the most important interior spaces. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.6/10 - Popularity: 47% | Activity: 24% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Green Architecture:** Opportunity for architects to design low-impact houses that blend with the natural landscape and use sustainable materials. - **Earth Shelter Homes:** Growing trend of embedding homes into hillside, utilizing the natural topography of the site to create energy-efficient dwellings. - **Adaptive Reuse:** Increasing demand for renovating existing structures into functional spaces with a focus on preserving historical elements. ### Where This Applies - **Architecture:** Architects can embrace sustainable design practices and create environmentally-friendly structures. - **Construction:** Construction companies have the opportunity to specialize in building earth shelter homes and implementing green building techniques. - **Historic Preservation:** Opportunity to renovate and repurpose historic buildings, preserving their cultural significance while meeting modern functional needs. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Castle-Inspired Cylindrical Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/casa-del-tec.md) - [Hillside Concrete Retreats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/concrete-house-1.md) - [Cast Concrete London Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bureau-de-change-1.md) - [Exposed Concrete Stealthy Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/villa-eternal-way.md) - [Dynamic Concrete Modern Buildings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shire.md) - [Coastal Island Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pasparakisfriel.md) - [Minimal Mountain Retreats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/caju-house.md) - [Textured Concrete Tiered Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shift-house.md) - [Hilltop Modern Retreats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-cloud-house.md)