Studio Weave designs kitchen as "piece of public realm" at South Barn in England

British practice Studio Weave has converted a barn on the Isle of Wight, creating a home with countryside views and a spacious living area for hosting large gatherings.

Named South Barn, the home was designed for a client who purchased the old agricultural building on a farm near Cowes, next door to another owned by their friend.

Studio Weave was asked to preserve as much of the barn's existing structure as possible to minimise waste and cost, and also to celebrate its ageing, agricultural character.

The studio aimed to introduce flexible living spaces and bedrooms that draw attention to the surroundings, while providing sufficient privacy.

"Like many Studio Weave projects, we were asked to combine creative interpretation, social understanding and technical precision," Studio Weave director Eddie Blake told Dezeen.

"South Barn tries to blend into the wonderful scenery of an English countryside working farm, where beauty is created by the functionality, toughness and the changing seasons."

According to Studio Weave, the only elements of the building that were removed during the renovation were for practical reasons.

This included the removal of small areas of blockwork to introduce windows and the replacement of asbestos roofing. Other alternations include framework adjustments to increase structural spans.

Inside, the walls were lined with the same blockwork that forms the building's shell. Some areas of blockwork were left exposed, while others were finished with clay render and teamed with pine joinery for a more homely aesthetic.

Externally, Studio Weave clad the blockwork walls with corrugated cement that matches the new roof structure and ensures an "agricultural character fitting to the surroundings", Blake said.

At the heart of the home is a large open-plan lounge and kitchen, which Studio Weave divided into three distinct areas using a snug and a kitchen island that puts cooking at centre stage. Large windows in this space maximise natural light and views.

The sleeping areas, including the main ensuite bedroom, are positioned at the other side of the home with direct access to the garden.

"The interiors were configured based on a key social understanding – a balance between the convivial communal space and the privacy required within life with family and friends," said Blake.

"Internally, the large living-kitchen space provides an unusual opportunity for gatherings for a domestic setting, like a piece of public realm. Also, the fully fitted kitchen offers plenty of joy to the client, who loves cooking and feeding his family and friends."

Completing the home is a garden created by Studio Weave with landscape designer Tom Massey, which was finished with plants suited to the island's dry and windy local climate.

Old, thick concrete surfaces, created for tractors, have been partially removed to allow for better drainage and soil beds for the plants.

Other recent projects by Studio Weave include a wood-lined community space, which it added to a London library, and the extension of a traditional English cottage with a timber artist's retreat.

The photography is by Lorenzo Zandri.

The post Studio Weave designs kitchen as "piece of public realm" at South Barn in England appeared first on Dezeen.