Our brief was to convert an existing classic car workshop, in rural Hertfordshire, into a new bespoke dwelling.

Temple Coach Yard and the surrounding area is set within the greenbelt and is made up of open countryside and barns/outbuildings interspersed with a series of large residential dwellings.

From the outset consideration was given to the repurposing of the existing dwellings. This re-use of an existing building is a less carbon hungry option for residential development, and a sustainable approach to resurrecting old buildings in innovative new ways.

Overall, the design of the scheme should appropriately preserve the existing structures and introduce an extension that would be of a compatible design. The existing built form is in an inward looking courtyard arrangement with boundaries that are formed from brick and timber clad elevations, mature planting and post and rail fences.

Our vision was to create a high-quality home that marries old with new, our design inserted a contemporary link extension in the form of an unassuming low lying pavilion, discreetly located to the eastern edge of the courtyard that serves to connect the existing workshops.

The proposals retain the distinct features such as the brick plinth, black featheredge boarding and simple large punctured openings to create a development that is consistent with the rural setting.

The inward-looking development provides living accommodation around a private landscaped courtyard, with wildflower planters and minimalist water features; whilst timber louvres help provide an element of shading and privacy. The connection between existing volumes make use of a glass and concrete link that articulates a clear language between new and old.