Hidden in a remote valley close to the Brecon Beacons National Park is a Welsh hillside farmstead called Blaengwy. The clients wanted to retain the sites timeless character and charm, whilst adding a significant extension to the farmhouse and converting the historic threshing barn into a home.
Form and massing of the new structures reference vernacular pitched roof barns typical of the Welsh Landscape. New living spaces work with the sites natural topography to provide shelter against prevailing weather conditions whilst allowing the existing Farm buildings to remain the focus.
A gentle dialogue between old and new was developed using a material palette of traditionally agricultural materials applied in a contemporary manner. Historical analysis revealed that one of the barns was previously much longer, possibly a traditional Welsh Longhouse, the design reinstates this historical footprint using a sympathetic, but contemporary language.
The wider site will undergo a process of re-wilding, using natural techniques to encourage native wildlife to once again take hold in this forgotten corner of the Welsh countryside.
The project will start on site in 2024.
