Kings Nympton Barn, Devon

The barn is located in stunning surrounds, positioned atop a north-facing peak with an uninterrupted view 30 miles towards Exmoor. This opportunity drove the concept to maximise views and create delight in places where the range of visibility is suddenly revealed.

The house was designed with an open-plan arrangement allowing for individual reading, dining,living spaces to occupy the ground floor without the need to split these into separate rooms. These areas were anchored by a linear double height central atrium with views above to the roof timbers and commanding the most spectacular vista to the north.

The clients had a strong interest in retaining the character and feel of living in a traditional building but having the comfort levels of a modern house. A new cavity wall was built inside the existing masonry allowing an upgrade to insulation levels and a strategy for maintaining a continuous air-tightness layer. A Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MVHR) was installed  together with several large open-able windows which allowed for a low maintenance and user friendly way of controlling internal air quality.