Hall Farm Case Study

As is common in buildings of this type, the existing buildings at Hall Farm formed a long, narrow, single storey footprint wrapped around a large open space. The form of the buildings and the fact that the majority of existing openings looked in to the central yard made a coherent domestic plan difficult to achieve. In plan terms, we particularly wanted to avoid a circulation pattern based on a long corridor or having to circulate from room to room.

Having explored other possibilities with our clients, our solution was to link the buildings across the yard with a new building. The new building locates the kitchen and family room right at the heart of the house and creates a flexible circulation pattern which allows living spaces and bedroom spaces to be grouped together and leaves the original buildings more intact. The new building also creates a private, internal courtyard which allows visual links between living spaces.

The new building follows the simple linear forms of the existing buildings. As well as creating a bright, contemporary living space with views across the private courtyard and out to the open countryside to the east, the large glazed areas allow the original form of the fold-yard still to be read.

Although the existing buildings were single storey brick-built barns with pan-tiled roofs, functional changes over the years had resulted in a variety of structural elements being introduced and our client was keen to see these retained and highlighted to show the evolution of the buildings over time.

The relatively large amounts of glazing in the link are offset by use of re-claimed brick and vertical oak cladding, reflecting the materials found in the original buildings. Both new and existing buildings were re-roofed using hand-made pan-tiles, stone ridges and cast-iron rainwater goods.

Internally, new exposed oak trusses reflect both the scale and character of the existing roofs. The timber trusses in the existing buildings were also retained and refurbished and are visible in the vaulted ceiling arrangement throughout.

Underfloor heating was installed throughout the whole building with heat provided by a ground-sourced heat-pump.

Careful consideration was given to insulation and internal finishes. A sustainable, LABC approved system using lime plaster and Thermafleece sheep’s wool based insulation developed by Ty-Mawr was installed. In addition to thermal and acoustic performance, the overall system is vapour permeable, allowing the solid brick external walls to ‘breathe’, helping to regulate humidity and contributing to a more comfortable living environment. The interior walls are finished with vapour permeable clay-based paint.

Planning Consultants - Steve Hesmondhalgh & Associates

Structural Engineers - Mason Clarke Associates

Main Contractor - Barry Shaw and Son Building Ltd

Groundworks - Barnfather Construction Ltd

Landscape Work - Wilkinsons Landscapes

Lighting Design - Brilliant Lighting