Suffolk Artist’s Studio
Suffolk, 2022
A new studio for an artist and printmaker in rural Suffolk.
The little timber clad building, hidden within a copice of hawthorn and oak, provides dedicated painting and printing space with associated storage for materials and finished works.
Located in the grounds of a grade II listed farmer’s cottage, the studio sits on the edge of a small copice planted in the late 20th century which separates the cottage garden from the adjacent agricultural land.
The sculptural form of the studio is carefully considered. Drawing upon the character of local agricultural forms it appears as a pitched roof barn structure. The roof form ensures the height of the studio retreats into the woodland, with the roof pitching towards the north in order to pick up high level flat light. Carefully controlled lighting conditions for working are created through the use of internal shutters.
An inset terrace to the south of the studio space provides a covered area to work outdoors and shading for the interior, whilst a smaller inset between the two volumes to the north creates a sheltered entrance.
A Woodland Painting Retreat
Suffolk, 2022
A carefully considered palette of high quality local materials that respond to and compliment the construction of the original agricultural cottages is proposed.
The exterior of the studio will be predominately clad with hand split oak shakes, some of which will be split from a fallen tree on site. This richly textured facade sits atop a traditional Suffolk red imperial brick plinth and is topped by a red zinc roof.
The diminutive structure will be efficiently prefabricated using cross laminated timber panels and seeks to avoid a reinforced concrete slab construction in favour of a lower carbon alternative which touches the ground more delicately in recognition of the surrounding trees.
