Steering away from a well-tested formula of exposed trusses, cathedral height and brick arches, our clients at Barn B looked to achieve a quieter, domestic feel within the grander scale of a derelict agricultural structure. They wanted the barn — one of several sheltering a courtyard high in the South Downs National Park — to become their main living space; their current home is adjacent. 

The existing flint walls were repaired and upgraded with reclaimed stone, their original breathable construction retained. Inside, glazed and plastered walls divide the space into distinct areas, avoiding barn-conversion cliches in favour of more understated, human-sized proportions.

In a world where we’re consciously making efforts to preserve and protect, architects are faced with new challenges in their practice. Do they build from scratch or look to adapt what’s already there? What are the long-term benefits of repairing existing structures? How can they meet the client’s brief and still have minimal impact on the planet?

For Murray Kerr and Rebecca Woodward at Denizen Works, such questions weren’t just theoretical. Their clients owned several old agricultural buildings that were ripe for conversion. They were clustered together, forming a sheltered courtyard, high on a hill on a stretch of beautiful countryside. The couple lived in one of the buildings, and wanted Denizen to tackle the large semi-derelict barn next door.

The architects’ concern was how to make something exciting and unexpected yet still fit for purpose from these traditional farm structures. ‘The clients came to us with a knowledge of our work and an admiration of our approach to materials,’ recalls Kerr. ‘They asked us to renovate their empty barn and turn it into habitable accommodation. They wanted the emphasis to be largely on the interior, with minimal alterations made to the outside, but with a connection between inside and out.’

From the start of their discussions with Kerr and Woodward, the clients had been clear that they wanted to avoid a traditional barn conversion — the kind we’ve all become familiar with from TV shows and magazines. Instead, they wanted to make the most of the impressive scale of the building, while also referencing hardwearing materials such as corrugated steel that are common in rural structures.

CAPTIONS

One of a series of barn conversions in the office – this in West Sussex

Courtyard of existing barns

NB in S Downs National Park, dark skies etc

Under rather than overloading the existing buildings

Inward-looking clients – expanding out of existing conversion

Untraditional barn conversion needed (steering away from the usual moves, exposed trusses etc)

Carving domestic space out of a grander/agricultural one

Quiet external voice and something unusual within

PULLOUT QUOTES

“The agricultural fabric offered significant potential for playing with scale, light and the separation of spaces for residential use.” Rebecca Woodward, Denizen Works

“The architects took into account the owners’ interests and keen eye for eclectic collections, and have merged urban and rural elements to impressive effect.” Catherine Coyle, Homes and Interiors Scotland 

EPHEMERA