29/11/2020
1. Barn Conversion, Stokeinteignhead, Devon
A contemporary and characterful conversion of a 19th century, single-storey milk barn - into a three bedroom family home and studio space. Nearing completion on site now.
When an old building is internally insulated and lined with modern finishes, they can lose some of their original honesty & charm by hiding the old structure. Our approach was to expose the new structure!
The first floor was designed to appear as a lightweight insertion into the barn, sitting on top of the exposed steel beams that support it; this reintroduced contrast and added texture.
We wanted to retain the experience of open space, the decision to create a double-height the centre of the barn makes the space feel generous from every part of the building. A secondary steel frame hidden within the roof structure removed the requirement for roof ties, allowing shafts of light from the roof lights to move uninterrupted around the dwelling.
This was a technically challenging project, in part because the existing rubblestone walls were not structurally sufficient to support a first floor and the roof joists were rotten. We overcame these challenges by underpinning the existing walls where necessary and supporting the first floor and roof with a hidden internalised, lightweight steel and timber structure.
The clients on this project really engaged in the design process and have a great eye for detail and finishes. They part managed the construction process and their drive and determination can be seen in the results.
