A Space to Create
The client needed a bespoke studio outbuilding to replace the facility she had enjoyed at her previous home. The building is an exercise in simplicity, reflecting the relatively simple brief of a large studio space with ample storage for materials and found objects for use in art projects.
The brief for the building meant that natural light needed to be carefully considered. The need for plenty of natural light needed to be balanced with the need to avoid excessive glare and direct sunlight while also framing views of the surrounding mature garden.
Double doors were incorporated, facing the drive, to allow large items to be brought into the studio. The outer sliding barn door serves as a moveable sunshade, moderating direct sunlight from the west.
The house is situated within an established garden of around an acre and a number of possible sites for the studio were considered. It was important that the building should be separate from the house but also with ease of access. The original location was further away from the house near the entrance gate in order to avoid disturbing the roots of established trees. However during the early stages of the design process a fierce northerly storm felled 2 large larch trees. This disaster was turned into an opportunity with the location of the felled trees providing a much better location for the studio.
The use of vertical board-on-board cladding in durable Scottish Larch complements the existing house which had been re-clad in horizontal shiplap cedar cladding some years before, while allowing it to appear as a distinct building in its own right. The roof is of colour coated corrugated steel, referencing agricultural buildings and sheds in the local area.
The building is highly insulated to provide a comfortable environment at any time of year.
“My new studio has a lovely atmosphere and this is no accident. A great deal of care and thoughtfulness went into its making and where there was collaboration and discussion, it could not have been easier or more pleasant.”
– Cheryl
