Green Farm, Bitteswell
Green Farm is the restoration of a Grade II listed, late Georgian farmhouse and out buildings which dates from the early 1800’s. When Green Farm ceased to be used as a working farm in 2008 the property was left in much need of refurbishment and with a series of vacated, derelict out buildings. The plot, located in the village of Bitteswell, which incorporates a farmhouse, two cow sheds and a barn was purchased with the intention of continuing the buildings’ lives with a new, viable use as a family home.
Restoration work to the original farmhouse, which faces the village green was limited, with only minor changes made both internally and externally to modernise amenities and services in addition to restoring the house’s character. To the north of the house, however, the farm buildings had been left without purpose since the farm’s closure and needed not only large amounts of repair but also new program to ensure their upkeep.
A cluster of unsympathetic additions to the house built since the 19th century have been rebuilt in order to better compliment the heritage buildings. An example of this can be seen in the rear two storey extension, whose flat roof has been remodelled to a pitched roof using reclaimed slate to sit more comfortably with the existing buildings.
The cowshed closest to the farmhouse has been converted and refurbished to provide a new open plan living space while retaining its distinctive form and character. A series of subtle changes have been made to the building without sacrificing its heritage. These include replacing the roof with reclaimed slate to create a more holistic design, upgrading the building fabric to achieve better thermal values, introducing a new insulated ground slab and insulating the roof. While the location of the original doors and vents to the cowshed have been retained, the sills have been lowered, allowing a greater level of light into the building and improving the connection of the new living spaces to the garden.
The roof and eastern wall of the second cowshed were removed in order to allow the rear barn to have its own identity while improving the garden area. The barn has been restored to retain its original features, providing an additional play and cinema area separate from the house.
Where new materials have been introduced, they have been chosen to compliment the existing buildings and surrounding context. All materials in the design are reclaimed, either from existing buildings on the site or from the local area so as to complement the setting. The small village of Bitteswell is characterised by houses in local red brick with others in pale render. This contrasting palette of materials is repeated at Green Farm where the original range of buildings is in soft red brick with later additions made legible in a pale lime coloured render. External services such as plumbing and electrics have been integrated as much possible into the restoration, hiding visible cables and using cast iron rainwater goods.
The original farm yard has been landscaped as part of the design, introducing hard and soft materials to enhance the setting and transform the space from simply an agricultural access route to give it a more refined, residential feel. Points of access and views from both the house and the barn have also been considered to improve outlook and extend the living spaces out into the garden.
Green Farm is the restoration of a Grade II listed, late Georgian farmhouse and out buildings which dates from the early 1800’s. When Green Farm ceased to be used as a working farm in 2008 the property was left in much need of refurbishment and with a series of vacated, derelict out buildings. The plot, located in the village of Bitteswell, which incorporates a farmhouse, two cow sheds and a barn was purchased with the intention of continuing the buildings’ lives with a new, viable use as a family home.
Restoration work to the original farmhouse, which faces the village green was limited, with only minor changes made both internally and externally to modernise amenities and services in addition to restoring the house’s character. To the north of the house, however, the farm buildings had been left without purpose since the farm’s closure and needed not only large amounts of repair but also new program to ensure their upkeep.
A cluster of unsympathetic additions to the house built since the 19th century have been rebuilt in order to better compliment the heritage buildings. An example of this can be seen in the rear two storey extension, whose flat roof has been remodelled to a pitched roof using reclaimed slate to sit more comfortably with the existing buildings.
The cowshed closest to the farmhouse has been converted and refurbished to provide a new open plan living space while retaining its distinctive form and character. A series of subtle changes have been made to the building without sacrificing its heritage. These include replacing the roof with reclaimed slate to create a more holistic design, upgrading the building fabric to achieve better thermal values, introducing a new insulated ground slab and insulating the roof. While the location of the original doors and vents to the cowshed have been retained, the sills have been lowered, allowing a greater level of light into the building and improving the connection of the new living spaces to the garden.
The roof and eastern wall of the second cowshed were removed in order to allow the rear barn to have its own identity while improving the garden area. The barn has been restored to retain its original features, providing an additional play and cinema area separate from the house.
Where new materials have been introduced, they have been chosen to compliment the existing buildings and surrounding context. All materials in the design are reclaimed, either from existing buildings on the site or from the local area so as to complement the setting. The small village of Bitteswell is characterised by houses in local red brick with others in pale render. This contrasting palette of materials is repeated at Green Farm where the original range of buildings is in soft red brick with later additions made legible in a pale lime coloured render. External services such as plumbing and electrics have been integrated as much possible into the restoration, hiding visible cables and using cast iron rainwater goods.
The original farm yard has been landscaped as part of the design, introducing hard and soft materials to enhance the setting and transform the space from simply an agricultural access route to give it a more refined, residential feel. Points of access and views from both the house and the barn have also been considered to improve outlook and extend the living spaces out into the garden.
