Shirewood
Shirewood
Dorset,
England
2023 — ongoing
This remote ex-farmstead refurbishment, located in East Dorset, includes interventions to the original farmhouse, two new outbuildings that replace a dilapidated barn and a designated bat roosting building designed to accommodate seven species of bats identified on the site.
Housing an artist’s studio and gym the two new outbuildings have been positioned to shield a sequence of new external spaces close to the main house while opening up views of the adjacent paddock and the surrounding countryside. All of the new structures will be clad in blackened timber to match the remaining farm buildings on the site and reflect the site's agricultural past.
The inclusion of the bat roosting structure unlocks the full potential for the interventions to the main house. Existing rooms are enhanced by utilizing attic spaces and adding skylights, while a new, two-story rear extension accommodates a winter garden and terrace that is linked directly to the master suite.