The latest project from school. This semester I had chosen an Institute called Cultural Heritage. I find the thoughts very interesting: how to look at an existing building and look at the qualities in the building itself, the surroundings, the story it tells and then make a descision based upon your architectural believes. You can tackle it in many different ways: you can choose not to do anything and let the building die in beauty or you can choose to completely transform the building and not be afraid to show contemporary elements. My approach was to look at the qualities I wanted to keep as they were, and look at what actions needed to be done in order to support my new function. From an old farmhouse (in my case the side building) to a creative studio, which would activate the local area. The house is situated in a small village called Bro with only 15-20 small houses and farms. Nothing happens there, in comparison to what actually did happen years ago. The area was full of life, business, shops and was known for fruit and hops. The area is now dead and I wanted to change that.
I have kept the facades with the different door- and windowtypes, the yellow brick, slate roof and the old chimney in the north building. I am using that as a fireplace where you can work with glass and pottery. I have removed the ceiling and completely transformed the inner structure of the plan from small, dark rooms to a big double height room where air and light flows. To smaller rooms are shielded from the big studio by milky glass, which shows off contour and movement in the building.I have kept the ceiling in the south building to use as a loft to dry the hops for brewing. The floor in the north building is glossy concrete. I isolate in the roof and in the floor ao I keep my brick walls free.
The new extension between the main house and the north house embraces the two buildings and will serve as a meeting place for the two functions. It is also my new main entrance to the creative workshop. It is light and subordinates the two existing buildings.
The project is very detail oriented, and I have never used so much time on so little! But I think I have learned a lot and will use some of the conservation theories and approach to an existing building in my future work.