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    Eight converted-barn interiors that reveal echoes of their pasts

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    An “unprecious” restaurant, a sculptor’s studio and a handful of holiday homes are among the converted barns in our latest lookbook, which explores how to transform the interiors of these agricultural buildings.

    Traditionally, barns are farm buildings that house livestock or store resources such as grain or hay.
    But around the world, architects and designers have renovated these spaces – often hundreds of years old – to create homes or for them to be used for other contemporary purposes.
    While the insides of some barns have been entirely remodelled, others purposefully celebrate their original features such as timber beams and gabled roofs.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist kitchens, pyramidal ceilings and eclectic hotels.

    Photo by José HeviaRelámpago House, Spain, by H3O
    Barcelona practice H3O transformed an old barn in Sant Just Desvern, Spain, into a one-storey home with an unusual interior layout.
    The studio created zigzagging walls for Relámpago House in to reference an old family legend told by the homeowner, whose ancestors are said to have survived a lightning bolt that struck the barn and entered the building through the chimney, narrowly avoiding the family members sheltering under the dining table.
    Find out more about Relámpago House ›
    Photo by Rory GardinerRedhill Barn, UK, by TYPE
    A dilapidated barn in Devon, southwest England, was transformed into a secluded house that has retained its 200-year-old stone walls.
    London architecture studio TYPE used neutral hues for the interiors, designed to complement the barn’s original stone and lime plaster walls and columns.
    The studio also created a new Douglas fir floor and roof structure that was chosen to evoke the rhythm and simplicity of traditional agricultural buildings.
    Find out more about Redhill Barn ›
    Photo by Alex BaxterBarn at the Ahof, the Netherlands, by Julia van Beuningen
    Designer Julia van Beuningen added a plywood spiral staircase to this thatched barn in Gelderland, the Netherlands, which she converted into a holiday home.
    The staircase’s smooth timber and sinuous curves contrast the ceiling’s rustic wooden beams. A slender steel kitchen island also features on the ground floor and imbues the 19th-century barn with a contemporary touch.
    Find out more about Barn at the Ahof ›
    Photo by David BarbourCroft 3, UK, by Fardaa
    Set within an abandoned basalt barn, Croft 3 is a gabled restaurant on Scotland’s Isle of Mull by emerging studio Fardaa.
    “Unprecious” interiors characterise the eatery, which features salmon-hued, exposed plaster walls and long communal tables carved on the island from a single Douglas fir tree.
    Find out more about Croft 3 ›
    Photo by Lorenzo LandriniWraxall Yard, UK, by Clementine Blakemore Architects 
    The Wraxall Yard complex is a series of holiday homes in Dorset, southwest England located in formerly derelict stone barns.
    Clementine Blakemore Architects designed the project, accessed via a curved pathway, with accessibility in mind. Brick and timber accents characterise the interior, created to feel homely rather than clinical.
    Find out more about Wraxall Yard ›
    Photo by Thomas HeimannLandhaus, Germany, by Thomas Kroeger Architekt
    Landhaus – or Country House – is a holiday home and guest annexe in a converted 140-year-old barn in Uckermark, Germany.
    Designed by Thomas Kroeger Architekt, the building has a double-height large hall at the centre of the former barn. A statement red-brick fireplace with integrated seating on its sides features on one side of the paved courtyard.
    Find out more about Landhaus ›
    Photo by Brigida GonzálezKressbronn Library, Germany, by Steimle Architekten
    Also in Germany, Steimle Architekten converted a former barn into a library and community centre for the village of Kressbronn am Bodensee.
    The vertical wooden slats that clad the building allow diffused daylight to enter the interior, which features concrete flooring and an open gallery tucked beneath the preserved timber trusses.
    Find out more about Kressbronn Library ›
    Photo by Jim StephensonArt Barn, UK, by Thomas Randall-Page
    Architect Thomas Randall-Page designed an artist’s studio and airtight archive space for his sculptor father, Peter Randall-Page.
    The project is a converted barn in Devon with a largely open interior except for a cosy “winter studio” contained within a cork-clad structure positioned on timber supports. The space underneath the studio creates a lounge area with a wood-burning stove.
    Find out more about Art Barn ›
    The main image of Art Barn is by Jim Stephenson.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring minimalist kitchens, pyramidal ceilings and eclectic hotels.

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      H3O creates “unpredictable” zigzagging interiors for lightning-struck home

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      Three jagged walls delineate the colourful spaces inside this converted barn in Sant Just Desvern, Spain, transformed by Barcelona studio H3O to reference a lightning bolt that struck the building generations ago.

      The one-storey Relámpago House is a former barn with a white-painted barrel-vaulted ceiling in the Spanish town of Sant Just Desvern on the outskirts of Barcelona.
      Relámpago House features a colour-block interiorFor the interior scheme, H3O took cues from an old family legend told by the homeowner, whose ancestors are said to have survived a lightning bolt that struck the barn and entered the building through the chimney, narrowly avoiding the family members sheltering under the dining table.
      “Transforming a story into architecture seemed to us a fascinating and fun challenge,” the studio told Dezeen.
      H3O delineated spaces with jagged walls informed by lightning boltsH3O inserted three intersecting walls shaped like lightning bolts into the plan, defining rooms within the otherwise open space.

      “This geometry choice is not random – it emulates the unpredictable trajectory and rapid dispersion of a lightning bolt’s energy,” added the studio.
      The all-pink bedroom is accessed via a colourful doorThe colourful intersecting walls enclose a private bedroom and bathroom, as well as forming the perimeter of the open-plan kitchen and living area.
      This communal space features zigzagged strip lighting suspended above a boxy metal kitchen island and walls clad in green glazed tiles.
      Strip lighting was suspended above a metal kitchen islandSugary pink walls delineate the bedroom, accessed via a contrasting door that is painted dark green on one side and deep blue on the other.
      “The interaction of these colours with the opening and closing doors creates an experience of spatial fluidity inspired by the pop art aesthetic of the 70s, reflecting a radical, fun and optimistic spirit,” explained H3O.
      The angular bathroom has a blue ceiling and wallsCharacterised by a mixture of green tiles and floor-to-ceiling dark blue paint, the bathroom is the smallest and most angular of the spaces, with a jagged, asymmetric mirror that wraps one corner of the room and tops a geometric sink.
      “The construction of the walls involved a meticulous design and execution process, ensuring that every angle and twist served an aesthetic function and optimised habitability and indoor living,” the studio said.
      Stones were collected to create “seemingly out-of-context” door handlesSmall stones were collected to create “seemingly out-of-context” door handles throughout the dwelling, adding organic accents to the otherwise colour-blocked interior.
      As a final nod to the home’s tumultuous history, a sculptural silver lightning bolt now protrudes from the chimney.

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      “The idea of a lightning bolt redefining space, filling it with form and colour, pushed us to explore beyond conventional boundaries,” reflected H3O.
      “Relámpago House transforms a forgotten barn into a visual spectacle.”
      A silver lightning bolt protrudes from the building’s chimneyVarious other architectural projects have been defined by zigzagging motifs.
      London-based Outpost studio created a jagged zinc kitchen extension in Haggerston while German practice Wulf Architekten designed a sports centre for a school in Überlingen with a folding roof to reference the mountains of the surrounding Alps.
      The photography is by José Hevia. 

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      Julia van Beuningen adds spiral stair in Dutch barn conversion

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      A spiral staircase made from plywood is the showpiece of this thatched barn in Gelderland, the Netherlands, which architectural designer Julia van Beuningen has converted into a residence.

      Van Beuningen has overseen a complete transformation of the late 19th-century building, named Barn at the Ahof, turning it into a rental home with four bedrooms and a large open-plan living space.
      The plywood staircase was produced by manufacturer EeStairsThe plywood staircase, produced by manufacturer EeStairs, sits at the heart of the floor plan. With its precise curved geometry and slender components, it offers a playful contrast with the barn’s rustic wooden columns and beams.
      “We thought, if we’re going to do something, we have to do it properly,” Van Beuningen told Dezeen.
      The staircase leads up to a new first floor within the converted barn”This is very different and very unusual in a barn like this,” Van Beuningen added. “It’s something you either love or hate, but it’s definitely a statement.”

      Barn at the Ahof is one of several buildings on an ancient farming estate named Landgoed Appel that Van Beuningen inherited from her family.
      She is planning to overhaul the entire site through a mix of rebuilds and refurbishments and create a series of low-energy houses that can be used for either long-term or holiday rentals.
      An open-plan living space occupies the ground floorAs the barn had been previously renovated approximately 10 years ago, it didn’t require as much work as some of the other properties on the estate.
      Van Beuningen is not a qualified architect – she is primarily a cellist and works in architecture part-time – so she enlisted local studio Flip Wentink Architecten to oversee the planning stages.
      However, she decided to manage the detailed-design phase herself, adding in extra details like the spiral staircase and some built-in joinery elements.
      The first floor provides two bedrooms and bathroomsOn the ground floor, the staircase creates a divide between a dining area and a lounge with a wood-burning stove. A minimal steel kitchen island runs along the side of this space.
      Also on this storey is an accessible bedroom and bathroom suite.
      The newly added first floor, which is much smaller in size, accommodates two additional bedrooms and bathrooms.
      Bespoke joinery provides in-built storageVan Beuningen tried to use simple natural materials wherever possible.
      As well as the plywood staircase and joinery, the renovated barn features walls of flax and lime plaster.

      Alibi Studio cuts slice through disused barn to frame sky views

      “It’s quite a proud building,” said the designer, “and it’s quite strong and industrial.”
      “I wanted to respect this industrial nature, which is not easy when adding in a new floor that is quite a heavy element. So I thought we should be quite humble in terms of materials.”
      Glazing skirts the edge of the first-floor bedroomsClever glazing details help to elevate the design.
      Highlights include large glass doors that can be concealed behind stable-style shutters, tall and slender skylights, and a narrow strip of glazing that skirts the edge of the first floor.
      A third bedroom is located on the ground floorExternally, the building has a more traditional appearance thanks to its thatched roof and red brick walls.
      Barn at the Ahof is the second completed building at the Landgoed Appel estate, following the refurbishment of the former bakehouse. Still to come is the overhauled farmhouse, revamped sheep shed and a new-build barn.
      Large glass doors are fronted by stable-style shuttersEnvironmental sustainability is a key concern for Van Beuningen, so all of the buildings are being designed to incorporate solar panels and ground-source heat pumps.
      Some sections of the estate have been rewilded, while ancient wetlands have been reinstated.
      Skylights puncture the traditional thatch roofVan Beuningen hopes the project can pave the way for more sustainable tourism in Dutch rural communities. At a time when the government is restricting the farming industry, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, she hopes to show farmers can explore other revenue streams.
      “It’s really a long-term project in that sense,” she added.
      Other recent barn conversions featured on Dezeen include the stone Woodthorpe Stables in Surrey by Delve Architects and North River Architecture’s extension of an 18th-century farm building in New York.
      The photography is by Alex Baxter.
      Project credits
      Client: Landgoed AppelArchitect: Flip Wentink ArchitectenInterior architect: Julia van BeuningenStructural engineer: Peter Rommers/Luuk van Doeveren ArchitektuurM&E consultant: Peter RommersQuantity surveyor: Peter RommersLighting consultant: Julia van BeuningenStaircase engineering/fabrication: EeStairs

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      Richard Parr Associates expands own office by converting 19th-century barn in the Cotswolds

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      A run-down barn that was once used for storing grain now houses additional office space for the Cotswolds-based staff of architecture practice Richard Parr Associates.The 95-square-metre workspace, which Richard Parr Associates has monikered Grain Loft Studio, is shortlisted in the small workspace interior of the year category in the 2020 Dezeen Awards.
      It’s situated amongst the green fields of Easter Park Farm in the Cotswolds, which was created as part of the Woodchester Park Estate in the middle of the 19th century.

      Top image: the Grain Loft Studio includes a wood burner. Above: Richard Parr’s office features a pitched Douglas fir roof
      An old hayloft, cowshed, bullpen and dairy barn on the farm had already been converted into office space for the practice, but as the number of employees has begun to steadily increase, they realised they were in need of extra room.

      The practice’s eponymous founder, Richard Parr, decided to make use of an abandoned barn.

      Parr’s office looks through to a laidback workroom for staff
      Parr’s office is up on the barn’s first floor in what was formerly a loft store for grain.
      After years of dilapidation, the practice could only save one of the room’s original Cotswold stone walls – the rest have been replaced with expansive panels of glazing that offer views of a nearby National Trust park and Parr’s own family home, which is also on the farm.

      The workroom boasts rubber flooring and black leather furnishings
      “It’s been a joy to extend our studio space, providing much needed flexible workspace for our team,” explained Parr, who has found using the Grain Loft Studio particularly handy during the coronavirus pandemic when many have been forced to work from home.
      “With views out onto the surrounding valleys, the new studio has provided solace whilst working remotely from the team.”

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      The room is topped by a pitched roof constructed from lime-washed beams of Douglas fir.
      Directly beneath is a 2.5-metre-wide glass table surrounded by aluminium-frame chairs, where team members can sit and work with Parr throughout the day.

      At the back of the workroom is a timber volume that houses a kitchenette
      A doorway looks through to an informal workroom that’s meant to have a darker, cosier feel.
      The floor is clad with black recycled-rubber tiles, while the ceiling is clad with textured wood-wool panels.
      One wall has been panelled with timber salvaged from a farmhouse in a neighbouring village that was once occupied by Soviet architect Berthold Lubetkin, which Parr hopes will act as a small homage to “the pioneer of British modernism”.
      In the corner of the room is a wood burner, in front of which a black leather sofa and armchairs have been placed. A kitchenette and small shower room are contained within a grooved timber volume towards the rear of the room.

      There’s a meeting area downstairs in the barn
      An industrial steel staircase leads down to the barn’s ground floor, which was previously just used as a cart bay but can now serve as a meeting room or breakout area.
      It’s simply dressed with a couple of curved bench seats that were carved from a single tree, and a white version of Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen’s signature Tulip table.
      The practice preserved the space’s existing cobbled walls but has covered the floor in stable-block pavers rescued from another building on the farm.

      The exterior of the converted barn
      Richard Parr Associates was established in 2012 and works between offices in the Cotswolds and west London.
      The practice’s Grain Loft Studio will go head-to-head in the Dezeen Awards against projects such as 12 by Ortraum Architects, a music and ceramics studio that’s nestled in the back garden of a house in Helsinki.
      Photography is by Gilbert McCarragher.
      Project credits:
      Architect: Richard Parr AssociatesInteriors: Richard Parr AssociatesContractor: JM WestonFire engineer: Oculus

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