Cost of land: £0
Planned budget for build: £400,000
Final cost of build: £450,000
Stunning design
Architect Damien Blower of Stedman Blower produced a stunning design: the central space was left unbroken as the principal living area, and the bedrooms and bathrooms were contained inside two curved steel pods, which rose from either end of the barn and were linked in mid-air by a suspended walkway.
An adjacent stable block would be integrated into the barn to become the kitchen. Following the concept design, architect Elspeth Beard, who specialises in the conversion of old buildings, produced the detailed design and became the project architect.
They budgeted for just over £400,000, paid for by the capital from their London house and a small mortgage. Perfectionism ruled: one of the builders' first jobs was to knock down part of a cart-house to give the main bedroom a clear view of the church.
Constant adjustment
While the pods were being made, local contractors stripped the barn back to its timber frame, insulated the roof with top-spec boarding and finished it with traditional clay tiles. Huge timber columns, to support the overall structure, were secured in holes filled with concrete.
Many of the newly exposed oak beams and trusses were beautiful, but their irregularities meant that the measurements of the pods had to be constantly adjusted. The old timbers also needed steel plates to strengthen the areas where the pods would be bolted to them.
Sweeping curves
Philip, co-ordinating the project from his office on site, drove progress on as fast as the many complex tasks allowed. After just four months, the steel pods and walkway were fitted into place. Philip then networked the entire building with computer cabling, 'future proofing' it by trying to second guess what sorts of technology would be available in the years to come.
A helix-shaped staircase was welded on site. Plasterboard was fixed to the steel pods to create sweeping curves, and the last weeks of the build turned into a frantic – and expensive – marathon of tiling, painting, lighting and fitting. The cost of materials and labour had sent Philip and Angela over budget, but incredibly, this daring build finished on schedule.
The detail
The white-painted pods rise sinuously at either end of the barn. Their curves are echoed by the elegant staircase and walkway, also finished and panelled in white to work as one flowing structure.
Oak beams and rafters are left exposed. Branching out against the white surfaces and inlaid into them, the wood helps relate the super-modern pods to the natural fabric of the old barn. Fixed high against the rafters, the bedroom pods resemble white birds' nests.
Floors are pale wood. Surfaces, lamps and fittings are mainly in neutral earth colours, often textured to suggest natural materials. Colour is provided by 188 lights, casting subtle shades of pink, blue and green on the white ceilings, walls and even baths.
In the kitchen, a glossy black cooker, curved wooden units and lovingly replaced original rafters create a welcoming room for the family to eat in. Twenty-four different wood inlays in the unit doors add to the warmth.
Views are important throughout. Soaring steel-framed windows bring the countryside into the living space. The main bedroom has its view of the church. The children's bedrooms each have an external and an internal window, and the walkway has a glass panel set into its side, affording yet another glimpse of the church.
Comfort and luxury are integral. A glass-fronted fireplace is set into the curved support of one pod. Concealed audio systems (part off the great cabling project) allow the family to play music in the bathrooms and kitchen. The master bathroom has a spectacular curved shower and a floor tiled with sliced, polished stones.
