Artist studio in a converted garage

Her primary needs were good light quality and space to spread out. Secondarily the space needed to function as a gallery space for her work. Furthermore, although living independently, the proximity of the site to her parents' house provides the opportunity for her special needs to be met with more ease. The principal feature in the design is the replacement of the roof with a polycarbonate-clad lantern structure. Within the heavily wooded site, this brings in a diffuse light and adds height and a feeling of space to the studio. The existing brickwork of the garage was retained with some openings blocked up and new ones introduced, including a glazed sliding door framing a Japanese garden at the rear. The masonry is insulated to the exterior with a Viroc cement board cladding. Interior finishes are left as a fairly crude industrial finish, deemed appropriate for the studio environment—masonry is simply painted, and timberwork and steel structure are left exposed. Where possible within the budget constraints, attention was given to detailing and junctions between elements. The builder noted that the project aimed for second-fix finishes with a first-fix carpentry package. Light quality was particularly important, so in addition to the daylight from the lantern, a lighting designer assisted in achieving optimal lux levels and light temperature. The conversion provides Fiona with a studio space near her parents, tailored to her needs, allowing her to pursue her developing career as an artist.