Live-Edge Timber Animates This Rough and Ready Country Home in the UK

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Project Details:

Location: Hampshire, England

Architect: PAD Studio / @pad_studiouk

Footprint: 1,940 square feet

Builder: R Moulding & Co

Structural Engineer: Built Engineers Ltd

Interior Design: William Nickerson

Energy Consultant: Mesh Energy

Planning Consultant: Dowsett Mayhew

Photographer: Ståle Eriksen / @stale_eriksen

From the Architect: "The Barn is a modern contemporary family home located within a tranquil coastal setting in rural Hampshire. The brief was to design a low-energy replacement home, with increased energy efficiency, designed in keeping with its unique setting and the local surroundings.

"The single-story building is designed sensitively in massing, incorporating natural materials that blend it into the site, reducing the impact of the new home on the surroundings. It is orientated to enhance solar gain, increasing the privacy of this dwelling whilst maintaining the connection to the stunning location and coastal views. A key influence on the design was the architecture of the local agricultural buildings. The local structural functions, proportions, and fenestration of the local farm buildings were carefully studied, taking inspiration to create a contemporary yet sympathetic design for both past and present industry and aesthetic, ensuring The Barn sits comfortably in the local surroundings.

"Materials incorporated in the design are contextual and appropriate for the coastal setting, selected to enhance the fluid relationship between the interior and exterior, whilst also having a sympathetic response to the particular ambience of the place. The exterior is clad entirely in recycled wide timber boards, including the roof and the terrace decking, the reused wood brings a unique and rich patina to the scheme. A brick cut away in the cladding reveals the main entrance, incorporating buff bricks that are reminiscent of local domestic architecture.

"An innovative design detail is incorporated in the north and south gable, with full-height rough-cut waney edge Douglas fir boards positioned at the ends, appearing like a row of fins jutting out that blur the edge of the building into the surroundings.

"Internally the house is bright with a light color palette. The main living space is open-planned with light oak flooring and full-height ceilings, exaggerating the feeling of space. Large frameless picture windows are used throughout, flooding the interior with natural daylight and creating a fluid relationship between the interior and exterior. The large glass doors lead onto the covered terrace. This sheltered outdoor space creates an additional living space that enjoys views out across the natural meadow and glimpses of the sea beyond.

"A focal point to the interior is the corner fireplace in the living space, with a full height internal chimney crafted out of buff bricks as found by the front door. The bricks introduces texture to the room, the full-height chimney rises through the room anchoring the home.

"The interior design incorporates some quirky and original design detailing. The kitchen has a stunning polished concrete worktop with an integrated sink—all cast in situ—adding a robust yet elegant edge to the domestic interior.

"Two double en suite bedrooms are located on the ground floor, with generous frameless picture windows offering an abundance of natural daylight. The simple landscaping outside these windows offers additional privacy and views through an abundance of natural planting. The landscaping is simple yet affective, incorporating silver birch trees and meadow wildflowers that embed the buildings into the established coastal setting within mature trees."