Petersfinger Farm, conversion of farm buildings to residential

Farm buildings no longer suited to modern agriculture are often encountered, and in the case of single storey ones such as those at Petersfinger Farm, residential conversion may well be an appropriate option. This does not always retain the original character, but the judges were happy, without needing to visit the site, that in this case an exemplary approach to conversion had been taken. Buildings which had clearly seen better days had been stripped of excrescences, and made suitable for residential use, without any unnecessary loss of their original character. Weatherboarding had been reinstated and brickwork rebuilt or repointed, while roofs had been sympathetically repaired, using salvaged tiles. Glazing had been kept simple, with some larger areas of glass as well as infill to existing openings, making an effective contrast with the original forms. An internal courtyard, with the buildings ranged around it, was particularly successful. Care had clearly also been taken with the new domestic interiors, where the original roof timbers remained fully visible, with one particularly successful double height space. The relationship to the wider riverine landscape south of the buildings had been carefully considered, with a wildflower meadow planted to enhance the setting of the development. A consistent level of commitment had clearly been applied, and the sum total of what had been achieved was sufficient to make an award an easy decision.

Architects: Proctor Watts Cole Rutter, Shaftesbury