科茨沃尔德牛棚丨英国格洛斯特丨Design Storey

Architect：Design Storey

Location：Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom; | ;View Map

Project Year：2023

Category：Private Houses

A listed barn in the Cotswolds converted into a unique home.

A restrained material palette and a light touch design approach was used to convert this grade II listed dilapidated cowshed in the Cotswolds into a modern home which celebrates its original use.

The clients, a professional couple in their late 30s, discovered this barn as part of a property purchase that included a former farmhouse. Although the property came with existing planning and listed building consent, the clients felt that the approved design didn't fully meet their requirements. They sought to create a space that would serve as a cosy sanctuary, offering a stark contrast to their busy lives in Liverpool and allowing them to unwind during their visits to the Cotswolds.

The barn comprised of a single-storey cowshed and a two-storey bull-pen with hayloft above, these two elements of the building were not linked internally and were located on different levels. Our design concept involved sensitively uniting both sides of the barn by inserting a timber pod structure into the fabric of the listed building.

In designing the space, the clients emphasized the importance of a relaxed and cosy atmosphere. They wanted the barn to feel like a true retreat from their city life, embodying a sense of warmth and comfort. The design achieved this by maintaining a neutral, slightly minimal aesthetic that would not overshadow the main feature of the space—the timber pod. To enhance the textural contrast, raw lime plaster was used on the walls, adding depth and a natural feel to the interior.

The new pod, mitigated the level change and acted as a divider division between the bedrooms and bathrooms as well as housing the new staircase to the first floor. We had to work hard with the limited space in the two-storey element of the barn, tucking in the master ensuite bathroom in under the eaves and suspending a shower over the stair, creating compact but characterful spaces.

From our clients: "Design Storey helped us convert an old Cotswolds cowshed into our dream home. From planning the space together, dealing with conservation issues through to appointing builders and overseeing the project, they held our hands each step of the way. We now have a beautiful, bespoke home in the heart of the Cotswolds thanks to Design Storey"

The choice of materials played a crucial role in creating this atmosphere while also addressing sustainability. The project was approached as a true retrofit, with a strong focus on reducing embodied energy and preserving as much of the historic fabric as possible. Durable and sustainable materials such as sheep's wool insulation, lime plaster, and woodwall board were carefully selected to ensure longevity and environmental responsibility.

One interesting construction challenge was the necessity to “lift” the front elevation of the single-storey structure to create an entrance into the barn. We believed there were formerly pad stones located along the front of the barn, which had since been removed, causing the front of the barn to drop. We were onsite to observe the contractor ‘righting’ the trusses to set them in their original position and recorded the ’jacking up” of the roof structure in a time-lapse video.

We proposed replacing the missing pad stones, and repairing the bases of the historic elm posts, to reinstate the historic appearance of the barn. This process involved a close and successful collaboration between ourselves, acting as heritage consultants, the structural engineer and conservation officer. This careful balance between sustainability and preservation has resulted in a space that the clients can truly enjoy, both as a serene retreat and a testament to thoughtful, sustainable design.

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