FEATURED PROJECTS
Nestled in the rural Welsh countryside near Solva is an historic outbuilding situated in the grounds of a Listed Grade II 18th century corn mill.
The brief was to re-imagine the building for reuse as holiday accommodation
The proposals involved an extension and internal replanning, and hmad architects provided a full service to support the project from start to finish, including producing the information required for planning and building regulations, obtaining the consents and overseeing the construction.
The result provides modern, bright, and comfortable exceptional accommodation whilst retaining the historic character of the original building and preserving its setting.
Externanlly locally distinctive and traditional materials were selected including: stone, timber, lead and slate hanging, which help the extension sit comfortably in the historic context.
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Although the floor area of the extension was limited by the site, our design featured exposed roof structure to create height and improve daylighting.
This makes the extension feel spacious and gives this space a completely different internal character to the rooms in the existing building, but the external massing still looks in keeping with the original building the extension.
Height was achieved in the existing building by removing the old ceilings to create a new vaulted ceiling and exposing the existing timber roof structure and in the extension by having a vaulted ceiling with the roof structure concealed .
Daylighting was improved with new windows in the existing building and rooflights in the extension.
New internal glazed screens create a feeling of privacy and acoustic separation of the bedrooms from the living area whilst maintaining visual connections and allowing daylight into the hallway.
FEATURED PROJECTS
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This project involved the refurbishment, reordering and extension of a substantial historic double fronted town house.
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Our involvement started with a weekend viewing before our Client even owned the property. This initial meeting helped them understand the risks of taking on such a project and the feasibility of realising the property's potential to provide them with a stylish family home.
Our brief was to create a luxurious family home that blended some of its historic character with contemporary living.
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Before the design process started we organised several surveys in order to understand the building, its condition and the issues that would need to be addressed.
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a 'forensic' condition survey to inform what works would be required as priority to address the poor condition of the building fabric. We prepared technical design information to address these issues.
A modern, bright, and comfortable conversion of a former outbuilding, offering exceptional accommodation in a tranquil location in the heart of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Beautiful gardens, a wood burner, and a one-mile walk to Solva.
This restoration and rejuvenation project has resulted in an amazing family home, fit for the 21st Century.
The design confidently balances the retention of the building’s historic character with contemporary additions.
Owing to the dilapidated condition of the existing building a considered approach to identifying the scope of defects and costs was required to ensure tender submissions reflected quantified risks in view of the traditional form of procurement.
Internally the existing traditional ground plan form was completely re-imagined with a more open plan feel and new staircase.
Externally the relationship of the building to its street frontage was enhanced with the refurbishment of the parapet mounted eagles. The redesign of the private rear gardens included an informal linked to a new al fresco dining room created by reimagining an existing single story extension.
Early engagement with Building Control informed the thermal and fire strategies at concept design level which gave confidence to the design team in identifying the most appropriate design solutions.
A design that exceeds building regulations was achieved by taking a fabric first approach to the stabilisation repair and improvement works.
The project was welcomed in the neighbourhood based on the positive responses to the planning application.
The project was delivered for the agreed costs and programme and procured using a traditional JCT form of contract [noting the construction phase included the periods of lockdown as a consequence of Covid-19]
Following a truly collaborative effort by all parties, at the completion, the Client was very happy.
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Having obtained full plans Building Regulations approval prior to construction commencing the scope of the remedial works could not be defined until opening up works had been carried out.
Additional Building Control input was sought during the construction phase, once initial opening up works had been carried out, and a full assessment of the condition of the existing historic fabric could be determined.
The close co-operation between Building Control, the Contractor and the Design Team facilitated appropriate design solutions to be identified and agreed pro-actively.
This approach helped maintain the programme and keep costs under control.
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Although the size of the extension was limited by the compact site, our design included height and good daylight to make it seem more spacious, and to give this space a completely different character to the rooms in the existing building. ​​
Height was achieved in two ways:
in the existing building by removing the ceilings to expose the timber roof structure with a new vaulted ceiling; and in the extension by having a vaulted ceiling with concealed structure.
A feeling of the light airy space was achieved by introducing new windows in the existing building and rooflights in the extension.
We also introduced internal glazed screens to create a feeling of privacy and acoustic separation of the bedrooms from the living area whilst allowing daylight into the hallway.
FEATURED PROJECTS
Nestled in the rural Welsh countryside near Solva our brief was to reimagine this former outbuilding situated in the grounds of a Listed Grade II 18th century corn mill.​
Our design included an extension and internal replanning. Our service included producing the information required for planning and building regulations, obtaining these consents and overseeing the construction.
A modern, bright, and comfortable conversion of a former outbuilding, offering exceptional accommodation in a tranquil location in the heart of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Beautiful gardens, a wood burner, and a one-mile walk to Solva.
We carefully selected a mix of locally distinctive and traditional materials including stone facings, timber, leadwork and slate hanging on the outside, to help the extension sit comfortably in this historic context.
Mill Lodge opens to a bright, modern, yet comfortable interior, offering the perfect base for a small family, or two couples, to get away from it all and explore the stunning Pembrokeshire coast, with its beaches, outdoor activities and walking. ​ Sleeping 4, Mill Lodge provides:
Although the size of the extension was limited by the compact site, our design included height and good daylight to make it seem more spacious, and to give this space a completely different character to the rooms in the existing building. ​​
Height was achieved in two ways:
in the existing building by removing the ceilings to expose the timber roof structure with a new vaulted ceiling; and in the extension by having a vaulted ceiling with concealed structure.
A feeling of the light airy space was achieved by introducing new windows in the existing building and rooflights in the extension.
We also introduced internal glazed screens to create a feeling of privacy and acoustic separation of the bedrooms from the living area whilst allowing daylight into the hallway.
better by design
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We believe that great design and sound professional advice adds real value, and we partner with discerning clients who share this vision.
Since 1997 we have been carving out a reputation for adding value by leaning into challenging and thorny projects and unlocking hidden potential by overcoming project constraints and producing high quality design.
We specialise in the conservation, reimagining, and renovation of historic and listed buildings.
With a friendly and professional approach, we blend our experience, creativity, passion, and integrity with effective communication, a collaborative spirit and cutting edge tools to deliver exceptional designs and a first-class service.
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Our Clients have their own dedicated architect to lead the project, supported by the shared knowledge and experience of the whole hmad team.
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So whether you need comprehensive project oversight or particular advice, it all begins with a conversation to understand what you need and how we can help.
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Call Luke McAdam (Director) 01392 459777 now to start our conversation.
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