{"id":763608,"date":"2025-01-14T07:55:53","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T07:55:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=763608"},"modified":"2025-01-14T12:39:31","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T12:39:31","slug":"case-study-farmworkers-house-by-hugh-strange-architects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/specification\/case-study-farmworkers-house-by-hugh-strange-architects","title":{"rendered":"Case study: Farmworker\u2019s House by Hugh Strange Architects"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recalling the enclosed moorland farmsteads of the West Country, this single-storey courtyard house for a farm manager establishes a considered relationship with its surrounding rural landscape.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Across the field from the house stands a recently constructed livestock shed, housing the cattle herd associated with the farm manager\u2019s livelihood. Although, by necessity, the house is close to the neighbouring barn, its domesticity does not intrude into the agricultural setting. Instead, the house nestles into a wooded corner of the field, only a mile from the Atlantic coast. The building is protected from the elements through an introverted courtyard house typology, the two arms of its L-shape plan sheltering a south-facing garden.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The protective wings of the house are formed by thick masonry walls, the depth of these a result of the specific construction system employed: monolithic clay blocks used without a cavity or insulation layer. At once load-bearing and insulating, the walls are simply finished with textured lime render to the exterior and lime plaster on the inside. This monolithic base supports a singular, unifying timber roof, legible throughout the interior, and redolent of surrounding older barn structures.
\n<\/span>Hugh Strange, director, Hugh Strange Architects<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span>\"\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Project data<\/h2>\n

Start on site <\/b>October 2020
\nCompletion <\/b>September 2022
\nGross internal floor area <\/b>175m2<\/sup>
\nConstruction cost <\/b>\u00a3400,000
\nConstruction cost per m2<\/sup> <\/b>\u00a32,285
\nArchitect <\/b>Hugh Strange Architects
\nClient <\/b>Private
\nStructural engineer <\/b>Price & Myers
\nM&E consultant <\/b>Ritchie + Daffin
\nPrincipal designer<\/b> Hugh Strange Architects
\nApproved building inspector<\/b> Cornwall Council
\nMain contractor<\/b> GTL Construction<\/span>
\nTimber frame<\/b> Timber Workshop
\nCAD software used <\/b>Vectorworks
\nPredicted design life <\/b>100+ years
\nEmbodied carbon (structure) <\/b>222 kgCO2<\/sub><\/span>e\/m2<\/sup><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span>\"\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Engineer\u2019s choices<\/h2>\n

The house is a modest, simple structure which attempts to reference the familiar clarity of rural building forms. At the same time, it uses modern materials and a level of quality in the resolution of the detailing, in the timber fabrication and in the material choices that elevates it to something special. Basic foundations and ground floor slab support thick terracotta Porotherm block walls to the perimeter. These are the only load-bearing walls and allow full flexibility of the internal layout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The roof is a system of tied rafters where a repetitive element is tied to form an A-frame every fourth rafter. The spread of the typical rafters between the ties is resisted by a flat wall plate timber, sized to span horizontally between the tied rafter feet \u2013 but also to be large enough to span vertically as the window lintel. Taking this simple roof form around the corner of the 90-degree roof junction, with all the members and details exposed to view, required some careful detailing.
\nAndy Toohey, partner, Price & Myers<\/i><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span>\"\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Specification<\/span><\/h2>\n

The preference for UK structural timber in the sizes required led quickly to the decision to use Douglas Fir \u2013 a strong, durable and versatile timber, available in long lengths and large sections. We made an effort to find a sawmill willing to seek out slower-grown, older trees to ensure higher-quality stock \u2013 evident in tighter growth rings and a lower knot content. Logs were sourced from both west Scotland and Norfolk.<\/span><\/p>\n

The frame was entirely prefabricated in our Devon workshop, then shipped, and installed on site. While predominately a process of manufacturing components in isolation, the principal truss that forms the corner of the building was framed up in its entirety in the workshop to overcome the more complex roof geometry in this location.<\/span><\/p>\n

The timber was planed all round, and sanded clean after carpentry, but left unfinished. Canadian Douglas fir plywood doubles as structural sheathing and internal ceiling. Hot-dip galvanised bolts were left visible and unplugged but set into shallow counterbores to ensure some finesse when using these more agricultural-graded fixings. Similarly, galvanised brackets that connect the roof to the Porotherm blockwork appear above the wall plaster as a small reminder of how the house was put together.
\nAlex Thomas, director, Timber Workshop<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

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Selected products<\/span><\/h2>\n

Galvanised steel profiled roofing
\n<\/b>Cladco
\nCladco Profiles (13\/3)
\nRoof
\ncladco.co.uk<\/a>
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

Clay blocks
\n<\/b>Wienerberger
\nPorotherm, T8 425
\nExternal Walls
\nwienerberger.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

Lime render\/plaster
\n<\/b>Heritage Cob & Lime
\nBespoke
\nExternal render
\nheritagecobandlime.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Floor tiles
\n<\/b>Living Terracotta
\nBL012
\nFlooring throughout
\nlivingterracotta.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Recalling the enclosed moorland farmsteads of the West Country, this single-storey courtyard house for a farm manager establishes a considered relationship with its surrounding rural landscape.\u00a0 Across the field from the house stands a recently constructed livestock shed, housing the cattle herd associated with the farm manager\u2019s livelihood. Although, by necessity, the house is close …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":763755,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[721],"tags":[2858,5245,5149,3255],"yoast_head":"\nCase study: Farmworker\u2019s House by Hugh Strange Architects<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This single-storey courtyard house for a cattle farm manager in the West Country has an L-shaped plan that shelters a garden. 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