133 Barn Conversion

Brief
The client had a Dutch Barn near to their farmhouse in North Wales that had been converted into a greenhouse and garden room. Unfortunately the barn was severly damaged by fire as the photos below. After exploring options the brief settled on a single storey structure for ease of maintenance housing a greenhouse and garden room as before.

Design Solutions
The alterations and renewal respond to the East-West orientation and the setting in the mature garden. The existing masonry spine wall provides stiffness and thermal mass and was rebuilt. The existing steel structure was retained as far as possible and accepts new steels at the column heads forming a well braced south facing pitched roof. This established the rough, robust shell of the building containing elements from the older building over which a sharp modern glazing system was fixed containing clear glass solar panels, motorised rooflights, automatic vents and doors to the south facing paved area.

Feedback
The project is a patient conversation between an unassuming agricultural building and a highly functional new envelope. The vertical glazing sits in line with the steel frame which is painted and left exposed allowing the construction to be clearly read and understood. The greenhouse is in use and the fig tree and vine survived the fire and are growing well producing fruit.