The Homestead

Locally the landscape is largely agricultural farmland, however given the previous farmstead typology the project itself is surrounded by a cluster of residential and rural buildings. The plot itself was made up of an unused stone field barn, and a small brick farm cottage that was purchased by our clients Jo Bennett and Scott Dunwoodie in 2019 with a view to reconfigure and extend the cottage and convert the barn to a photography studio for photographer Scott. Whilst the project is modest in scale the architecture consists of three constituent and interconnecting parts; (1) The Barn, (2) the ‘Link’ (which forms a lightweight glazed entrance), and (3) the extension and refurbishment of the host dwelling; to create contemporary living space within a traditional farm building. This subtle narrative provides generous living space that reinforces the buildings relationship with the rural landscape and sensitive green belt context. The materiality and overall design agenda for the proposals is focused around a contextual and sympathetic response to the surrounding rural setting, utilising York Clamp imperial handmade bricks with lime mortar in an English garden wall bond and an agricultural palette of materials including zinc, stone and European Oak, referencing the Yorkshire boarding, metal roofing and stone barn typologies that are evident in the immediate context. Generally, the project seeks to make fabric and environmental improvements where possible without compromising the integrity of the original built form. The project improves the thermal performance of the building through insulated facades and new glazing throughout as well as introducing new underfloor heating throughout, a new packages sewage treatment plant and PVs as well as promoting an overall agenda for retrofit first.