My top five design pointers for those marking on a barn conversion:
1. Use the existing spaces as far as possible. Older barns often have some form of statutory protection such as listing in place, so you may have no choice but to work with the form that is there.
2. Do not try and impose domestic scale on the building by dividing up the spaces. The spectacular scale of barns is what makes them so attractive, they are the agricultural forerunners of our industrial factories.
3. Similarly, avoid squeezing in upper stories where height is at a premium. Many times clients wish to add a mezzanine without realising that there is simply not enough height to achieve this, or there is primary structure in the way.
4. Allow the structure to be seen. Another reason we admire barns is because we can visibly see and understand how they are constructed. Celebrate this.
5. Make sure you have contingencies. Working with an existing building always throws up unexpected issues. Plan for this by having contingency funds and allow your designs to have some flexibility.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of a project further, do not hesitate to contact me
David is an award winning barn conversion architect. He is an expert advisor to Homebuilding & Renovatingmagazine and authored an article on barn conversions for Grand Designs magazine.
