London studio Crawshaw Architects has reworked a former cow shed in Dorset right into a library and workplace, organised round a picket, barrel-vaulted arcade that references the consumer’s assortment of books on classical Palladian structure.
The Stanbridge Mill Library, which has been shortlisted within the civic and cultural interiors class of Dezeen Awards 2022, occupies one in all a number of outbuildings of a Georgian farmhouse on a grade II-listed farm.
The slim, gabled brick shed was initially constructed to deal with Standbridge Mill Farm’s cows however had stood uncared for for over forty years, used as storage for gardening tools and farm equipment.
Seeking to give the constructing a brand new goal whereas sustaining its present character, Crawshaw Architects made solely small structural interventions, changing two of its authentic roof trusses with portal frames that open up the inside.
“Whereas a decisive transformation of the inside was known as for, we felt that the unique use of the constructing wanted to be a part of the story,” defined the studio.
Stanbridge Mill Library’s focus is a central “nave”, which is crammed with seating areas coated by a picket barrel vault and slotted between two slim aisles lined by bookshelves. This plan references classical architectural varieties, that are the main target of lots of the consumer’s books.
Pale, strong oak has been used for the ground, shelving, storage and the central vault, half of which is roofed with planks and the opposite half left open to permit in mild from new skylights.
“The excessive nave and pair of aisles are within the type of a classical library, however are set out within the register of the unique constructing utilizing the supplies and building strategies of conventional farm carpentry and metalwork,” defined Crawshaw Architects.
“The vault, columns, cabinets, tables and seating are product of the identical strong oak planks and sections, intentionally chosen to indicate knots and pure blemishes,” the studio continued.
Desks are organised to make the most of mild from the home windows and are illuminated at night time by giant pendants suspended from the vault.
The workplace area occupies the northern finish of the constructing beneath an authentic roof truss, which is separated from the library by an arched glass door and home windows that body views by means of the nave and aisles.
To the south of Stanbridge Mill Library, a dog-leg within the plan is occupied by a small kitchen, positioned reverse a rest room and a small foyer space.
Stanbridge Mill Library options within the civic and cultural inside class of Dezeen Awards 2022 alongside the renovation of the Groote Museum in Amsterdam by Merk X.
One other venture on the shortlist is the inside of F51 Skate Park in Folkestone by Hollaway Studio, which received the general public vote for a similar class.
The pictures is by Ingrid Rasmussen.
Undertaking credit:
Architect: Crawshaw Architects
Design staff: Pandora Dourmisi, Aidan Crawshaw
Structural engineer: Hardman Structural Engineers
Contractor: CanDo Constructions ltd
