Willow Barn | Bishop Sutton

Willow Barn (formerly Poole Farm) was a conversion of a duo of barns, one with a mono pitched roof and the other with a dual pitched roof, used for storage and offices, repurposed to form a new 5-bedroom dwelling in the AONB. The project provided challenges such as maintaining the natural beauty of the surrounding area ensuring that any design resided comfortably and subtly into the existing landscape, both in its immediate vicinity and from afar. Ensuring that the existing structure was maintained and converted, preserving the existing building’s character in its agricultural setting as well as meeting the client’s brief to create a modern 5-bedroom dwelling to utilise the striking views over the Chew Valley were all challenges that were met.

The materials used resonate with the surrounding agricultural countryside, where cedar and black zinc create a new skin over the existing structure to create two distinct forms intertwined with one another. The glazed elements have been shrouded by the architecture to reduce any visual impact or glare from the surrounding countryside. This has been done by setting the glazing back in places whilst in other places, timber louvres have been used as sliding screens to create a flexible façade.

The result has left the client with a building that has not only met, but surpassed his original brief and has created a beautiful new dwelling in an idyllic setting.

This project was worked on by Dan Collier whilst under the employment of Whitebox Architects. During this time Dan was involved with the design, planning, building regulations, and detailing, while Whitebox Architects were ultimately responsible for this project.