Barn conversion, South Cambridgeshire

This barn, in a sensitive countryside location close to Cambridge, required extensive refurbishment and repair. It is now a building with excellent environmental credentials, heated by a wood chip boiler and with a high degree of insulation.

A 'slinky' walkway to the first floor articulates an otherwise long corridor. A large sliding glass door glides into an invisible pocket allowing the kitchen to flow into the hall, or be separated off as desired.

Externally, zinc gutters and rainwater pipes complement the grey boarding of the main barn. The large glazed screens allow the interior and exterior spaces to flow together, and there is a nice balance between the contemporary treatment of the built form and the surrounding landscape.