Barn conversion to home, Tamar Valley, Cornwall

The Clients, an energetic professional couple, fell in love with this unusual property comprising a large rural plot with it’s wonderful views across the Tamar Valley to the Devon countryside and Dartmoor, containing an historic two storey stone barn and timber outbuildings.
 
They wanted a series of spaces with distinct uses for: living; working; guests; and storage and workshops for their hobbies, that maintained the special character of the site. 
 
hmad were appointed after a rigorous selection process which was based on a variety of the usual considerations: track record, experience, and value for money.
 
It was important to the Client that the original character of the barn should be respected, whilst recognising that it needed to be updated and improved. The work space needed to be separate from their living space, to allow for confidential remote working.
 
hmad's design proposed the barn be used for the living accommodation in a reverse level arrangement to suit the topography. A modest and discrete entrance porch extension was added to the rear so that it is not visible from the front elevation.
 
The work space was combined with guest accommodation within a lightweight timber clad pavilion in the garden. It was at a lower level on the garden so that the long views from the barn were preserved, whilst allowing visual connections between the barn and the work space.
 
The workshop and utility space were housed in a second pavilion building tucked into the top corner of the site which is close to the front door of the barn but concealed from view.
 
The landscape design created a series of paths and routes to connect the buildings but maintained a feeling of informality and wildness.
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Image credits: Client & hmad