The Hovel

The former potting shed sat between a stone barn and outbuilding, with stone walls and a corrugated metal roof supported by two circular stone columns.

The proposals were to convert the hovel and part of the adjacent barn to form a home studio for guest accommodation and as a work and play space. Importantly to the landscape architect clients, the new building needed to be flexible to accommodate the different uses and fully engage and integrate with the garden, whilst retaining its utilitarian simplicity.

The two prominent stone columns supporting the existing roof were retained and the building extended outwards from this point with full height direct-glazing within an Oak beam and post arrangement, and a large pivoting glazed door that opens the main space up to the garden terrace.

The main space, which is used as a home cinema, garden room and office, is separated from the studio (occasional bedroom) by a heavy curved sliding steel door that rotates around one of the columns. A small kitchen and wet room (located within the main barn) adds to the flexibility of the building being used independently from the main house.

The materials are drawn from the local vernacular and include metal roofing, brickwork, stone, concrete and timber. The structure is expressed through simple Oak frame detailing and the retention/refurbishment of existing principle elements.