REAL PROJECTS
The prospect of transforming a rundown agricultural building into a modern home gives rise to a plethora of unique design possibilities, as these projects demonstrate
Disrepair restored
This collection of barns in Cornwall was derelict for decades. “The roofs had collapsed and only the stone walls could be retained,” says David Jones, a director at Kast Architects. To channel natural light into the newly restored living areas, a charred timber-clad extension was added. “This allowed a generous three-pane sliding door to open directly onto the outdoor deck,” says David.
The lack of connection between the two barns was solved by splitting the accommodation into two wings with living areas in one and bedrooms/bathrooms in the other. The staircase was relocated into the single-storey barn, making it possible to knock through the wall to connect to the two-storey barn. “The new first-floor opening meant we had to increase the roof height, which ended up enhancing the space with dramatic, vertical proportions.” The project cost £2,166 per m².
Live-work space
Thread architects converted an open-sided barn into a light-filled live-work space for the owner, who runs an art conservation business. Originally, the structure featured an exposed steel frame with infill walls on three out of four sides. Previously, the barn had stored machinery and had sheltered sheep.
“We wanted to retain the original frame within a new, highly insulated envelope,” says Claire Fear, director at Thread. The practice developed a strategy to wrap the existing steel structure within a substantial layer of insulation, with an agricultural-style finish on the outside so it still looks like a barn when viewed as part of the wider landscape.
“Internal material choices were selected to mirror the agricultural aesthetic,” says Claire. “The first and ground floor finishes are polished concrete, which requires minimal construction and is very efficient at distributing the low level of heat supplied by the new ground source heat pump.” Other green goodies installed as part of the project include an array of over 30 solar PV panels on the roof, and a rainwater harvesting system. The building is also triple glazed to prevent heat escaping from the highly insulated thermal envelope.
New lease of life
When the team at Border Oak first visited a listed cow byre in Herefordshire, the structure was on the brink of collapse. A painstaking restoration and conversion process is behind the stunning modern property that stands today.
The property comprised two structures — an oak barn at the back with a separate brick barn, in better condition, at the front. Working alongside the local conservation o
