The Modern Barn
Contemporary Barn in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Set within a prestigious country estate, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), this project focuses on the replacement of a semi-derelict barn structure with a new eco-barn, creating a self-sustaining, low impact family home.
The design makes reference to a traditional Longbarn, which would have been widely seen across Dorset and beyond, anchoring the design to its agricultural setting.
Project Director: Sean Daly
Project Leads: Mark Senior, Mark Christopher, Lotta Woodland
Planning Consultant: Ken Parke Planning
QS / Project Management: Woodforde Scott
This private home features a double-height living space with a mezzanine platform set over this. The integration of large frameless glazing and minimal sliding doors will enhance the connection between the internal areas and the rolling landscape and more immediate woodland glade.
The barn is clad in black timber, a nod to the traditional materials used in agricultural structures in the area. The design employs a pared-back palette with open-jointed, larch cladding as the facing material and an insulated ‘standing seam’ roof set over. The introduction of the glazing creates a precise and engineered contrast to the barn structure, clearly denoting a residential property.
A significant challenge for the project was ensuring that the design would be sympathetic to the broader context and an enhancement when contrasted to the original structure. To test this, DMW constructed a detailed 3D model of the existing and proposed structures, allowing us to guide the design process and present the proposal to both our clients and the planning officers using Virtual Reality. CGI views taken from the model were a key component in the Landscape Visual Assessment, which supported the planning submission.
The project is currently on-site with DMW undertaking all technical works including interior design and landscape design. Updates to on-site progress will follow soon.