Bolgoed Maen

The house is within a complex of outbuildings centred around a courtyard with views towards the imposing peaks of the mountains. In conjunction with the Woodland Trust, 1,750 trees have been planted to increase biodiversity on the site.

The approach to the building was mindful of the sensitive historic surroundings while achieving an increase in floor area and a complete refurbishment of the property There was a clear opportunity to develop the building in two sections: a sensitive restoration of a traditional Welsh farmhouse and design a contemporary rear extension.

Externally the design of the extension had to fit in with the form of traditional Welsh farms in that the rear extension resembles a stand-alone building lightly linked to the stone farmhouse. Against the white lime-washed farmhouse, the black extension contrasts strongly with the host building.

Internally, the philosophy has been to sympathetically restore the existing stone building by removing all the alterations/modifications, reinstalling the oak beams, lime pointing, lime plastering, adding new sash windows, restoring doors and using traditional paints.

Internally, the extension is in stark contrast to the light and open exterior, and provides new living areas with large openings facing the mountains with connectivity to nature through biophilic design.

The extension now sits strongly juxtaposed against the restored interiors of the original farmhouse. In their own way, both have a strong sense of texture, allowing them to sit happily side by side despite their stylistic differences. They share a certain materiality but give different expressions of atmosphere: two very distinct but yet complimentary approaches.

Annual CO2 data was not provided