Fosse Barn, Malmesbury

New Life for Old - A contemporary conversion

The historic stone tithe barn built in an open meadow alongside the Fosse Way has been converted into a family home. The design preserves much of the barn’s character, while creating a more contemporary extension to exploit the views from the kitchen/dining and master bedroom wing. The narrow splayed ventilation slots have been fitted with bespoke pivoting windows minimising framing to maximise the restricted daylight into the building. The living and bedroom areas gain additional daylight from the large openings north and south which have been fully glazed creating a central space in which the staircase connects the full volume of the house.

The load capacity of the stone enclosing walls and desire to touch the building lightly generated a unique structural solution. A clear spanning steel floorplate provides the first floor while the king post trussed roof space is infilled to provide studio space. The barn feel is preserved by open plan areas capable of being closed off to the atrium by sliding screens made of elm.

Further outbuildings provide workroom annexes and garage space and the landscape treatment celebrates its exposed and agricultural context.

Client: Private client
Stages: A-L