The client of this project opted for diversification by undertaking renovation and conversion of their existing farm buildings to provide countryside workspace. The aim was to create a development that responded to sustainable construction at every stage of the project. As many aspects of the original buildings as possible were retained and restored.
Local materials have been used for the vast majority of the new building works and the construction was carried out by the farmers themselves. This has made for one of the lowest embodied energy commercial buildings in the UK. The existing barns made of local stone have been restored and updated to modern standards of insulation, lighting and ventilation.
The buildings retain their relationship to the farm house giving the scheme a domestic feeling and contributing to a sense of integration within the surrounding area.