The 80 acre site is bounded by the road to Laragh to the north and the road to Rathdrum to the south and is bisected by a stream with the ground sloping steeply down to it on both sides.  The site is characterized by the fine trees along the banks of the stream and by the views of the surrounding landscape. 

The base and the house have been designed as a single entity in the tradition of farmyards or clusters.  The buildings are designed as a series of low-pitched roofs and walls that adapt themselves to the contours of the site and keep low to the ground in order to minimize their impact on the landscape.   Banking and retaining walls are used to achieve this integration of the buildings with the site.

The base is arranged around the concrete yard, with the harness room and visitor facilities on the south side and the workshop and stables to the north.  All the buildings in the yard have deep overhanging eaves, which provide covered work space and areas for storing the caravans during the winter.   The house is then arranged around a private entrance courtyard giving access to a tall entrance hall.  From here there is a stair down a half level to the living areas which open out to the south-west and up half a level to the bedrooms.