Project brief:

To breathe new life into the farmhouse and prepare it for a new growing family occupancy.

Phase 1: Repair schedule to all timbers with replacement windows and roof repairs, general maintenance, upgrading of services, damp repair and new drainage.

Phase 2: An extension to rear to replace previous later additions.  The new extension is to gently nestle against the existing dwelling giving subservient support to the utility functions to the farmhouse, providing a utility and boiler room with new ground floor WC facilities, all essential in todays family life.  The new rear lean-to structure is both visually and structurally light weight with glazed panels reaching from floor to ceiling and the vaulted ceiling exposes the rear wall of the dwelling showing the evolution story of the dwelling.

Fully revitalised living spaces that retain the historic fabric and language of the home.

Ground up re-planning of spaces to maximise the properties potential and create a central living, relaxing and creative zone!  Centralising the kitchen space draws the entertainment into the center of the house.  Evaluating the movement and flow through the property allows the spaces to to be adjusted with new doorways to reduce corridors and link spaces together.

Going on up creates a new master suite with full width and height glazing giving distant green views up amongst the tree tops, private and secluded……… complete relaxation!

Planning Approved and project awaiting start date.

The Client Brief:

To renew the reception and waiting areas, improving functionality and to engage with visiting clientele.

Main Design Focus:

To form a space that would compliment the existing company image and to build on the established nature of the business.  To enhance the users experience and to provide a more relaxed, engaging space for work and to promote the values of the business.  Quality, established, solid, efficient and above all professional are all focus words throughout the project that have both driven the design and the material choices within.

The Design:

The new glazed entrance door leads to a directionally laid solid timber floor.  The same floor folds up to form the reception desk, now central to the room.  Either side are natural carpet areas with soft seating creating the meeting/waiting areas.  New insertions in the form of low level paneled screens shield the private workspace and define the work zone.  Feature central light echoes the existing dental cornice, now painted to give definition and to visually lift the historic space.

A calm colour scheme and neutral palette provide a relaxed edge to the users experience.

Project approved and completed.

By removing an earlier extension and opening up the internal spaces we created a ‘tardis’ like effect throughout the family living, dining and kitchen space.  The spaces are now flooded in natural light and engage the landscape with distant and local views captured by slot windows and corner glazing.

The over all flow and usability of the space now enhances the owners experience and captures the reason for living in the stunning location.  The space is now used to its maximum and we only added 15 square meters of floor space too!

Project approved in and AONB and is now completed – awaiting photo shoot!

The existing prefabricated post war ‘Woolaway’ bungalow was bursting at the seems; Options demolish and build a new dwelling with huge carbon impact and at vast expense? or up-cycle the existing structure using Eco insulation, upgrading the thermal properties and follow the thinking of the existing dwelling by constructing a prefabricated framed extension with minimal environmental impact and at a fraction of the cost?

Yes, fab prefab it was.   The prefabricated extension was designed to engage the existing landscape and minimises the visual impact from the road by angling the new structure to follow the existing track foreshortening the elevation.  Local pad foundations and ring beam are to support the insulated timber floor with the remaining frame and roof constructed in SIPS.  Insulated render and timber clad the external elevations and a new heat recovery heating system is to be fitted throughout.

Build Budget of £65k (part self-build) Planning approved and project is near completion.

Overview:
To create an office space with a design strongly focused on complimentary materials and forms of the existing barn.    Focus of thinking -
To evaluate the existing barn, to extract the key details and echo them in a new form.  High level of thinking towards the conservation of the existing surroundings to preserve and to protect the countryside while providing the increased work space for a  family business.
An eco building with high levels of recycling, energy efficiency and self sustainability.  These elements are of great importance to the family environmental heating business.

Key features
Feature cladding to maintain an agricultural feel to the walls and roof, stone, timber and brick features, timber frame, drainage, view to external spaces, view from house, insulation, solar gain and solar shading, flow of space and light, blending into countryside.

After constant consultation with the Local Authorities the structure was granted Listed status and our following submission was granted permission in 2011.  The project is currently on site and due for completion later this year.  Photos to follow.

Two large fully glazed gables running at 90 degrees draw the visitor into the property and beyond to the landscape.  A bridge link from road level provides for level access to the new first floor accommodation where kitchen/dining room, living room and master bedroom suite are to be found.  A glazed open staircase concentrates the user towards the views at all times with minimal effort.  The new re-modeled ground floor provides guest bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms, a utility and a large glazed entertainment space with raised terrace.

Lifting the roof off the past and creating modern living.

Currently on site – completion due June 2012.