The farm consists of a Grade II listed farmhouse, a Cotswold stone barn and outbuildings, which are within the property's historic curtilage. The barn was converted in the 1990s to comprise accommodation with small bedrooms and a disjointed circulation, creating an ill-thought-out living space that was hard to enjoy.
Our client approached us wanting to achieve additional bedrooms for their large family and to create a generous living space for their retirement.
Blake Architect's concept was to reinstate the barn's interior to a single volume by stripping out two floors. We then proposed widening and lengthening a wing of the barn to provide all the ensuite bedrooms. We successfully agreed with English Heritage that the re-establishment of the main barn volume justified the new extension.
The main living space is triple height; at one end there is a mezzanine, used as a home office, with a family room below. At the other end stands a highly contemporary kitchen designed by Splinter Works.
Our client feels the cold and spends much time working in the home office, and so our brief was “to make the space hot enough to stop the dogs using it.” We achieved this by placing a huge double-sided woodburner below the study from where hot air is vented to blow out below the desk.
The house is heated from a ground source heat pump which is coupled with a heat recovery system, to create a sustainable system and maximum comfort in all seasons. We undertook the entire design and managed the planning, listed building consent and contractors on behalf of the client.
