The Glasgow practice’s ArcHouse is intended to serve as a template for low-cost volume housing within planned new garden cities which will be built around London with a barn-style aesthetic defined by a curvaceous roof and timber cladding.

These are configurable in stepped terraces of five with homes brought forward onto the street to discourage turning front gardens into car parks.

Explaining the approach in The Sunday Times, senior partner Alastair MacIntyre said: “I wanted to get away from the typical rectangular solution, to create something softer and more romantic, but perhaps less efficient in terms of volume. After all, most people who have to look at and appreciate a house don’t actually live there. And I was keen to create a sense of privacy and openness.”

Costing less than £200k to build the 3 bedroom homes secured the backing of a third of voters, beating off competition from The Hundred Year Home, a contemporary take on the Victorian terrace by CF Moller and Hanging Gardens House by Somorjay & Talliss.

Housebuilder Redrow has committed to build a prototype ArcHouse for further evaluation.