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Description

The Long Barn Studio provides a vital innovative hub for 12 aspiring architects and assistant architects in an inspiring young, multi-cultural inclusive environment located in Mid-Bedfordshire, on the outskirts of Maulden, a small rural village. The founder of Nicolas Tye Architects set up his practice in one room of his home some four years previous. However, over those years the practice had grown from employing one person to twelve and had overflowed to occupy the entire ground floor area.

Nicolas Tye decided to create a new separate studio space but within his home grounds, able to provide a comfortable, healthy and inspiring environment for his staff. The design complements the existing structure of the dwelling (a contemporary converted grain barn) and the rural environment. It was essential that the new studio did not detract from the barn, both in scale and materiality. In addition, part of the new structure would also partly sit outside of the residential grounds, in previously idle farmland. After various negotiations with neighbors and the local planning authority, the design was unanimously approved at the planning committee. The overall tight budget of £220.000 (slightly above €241.000) meant that the solution had to be creative in order not to compromise the detailing.

The studio is set down within the surrounding open landscape, and the subtle materials which are used reflect this harmony. The concept of the design is based around an elegant glass, rectilinear box which is enclosed at both ends with larch cladding. The larch is treated so weathering appears uniformed both externally and internally. The frameless glass panels allow high levels of natural daylight into the studio along the northern side and in additional wide views of the surrounding landscape. Along the southern elevation the larch clad timber, punctuate the glass facades.

The building is divided in pods, each with a dedicated use, including an architectural library, reprographics area, toilets and meeting room. Cor-ten steel detailing was also used throughout the studio to reflect the original agricultural nature of the site and accentuating the smaller windows and linear roofline. Within the studio’s interior a continuous limestone floor enhances the main axis. Various sustainable and healthy technologies were also incorporated, including a wind turbine, rainwater harvesting, compost facilities, staff vegetable garden, low energy lighting, under floor heating system, eco-organic paint, a central vacuum and air source heat pump providing fresh air.

Biography

Nicolas Tye Architects is a group of architects and designers interested in creating innovative, high quality and healthy environments for all people. The team’s skills on the fields of project design, organization, and deliverability guaranteed the confidence of their clients. In a rapidly changing world this studio’s key for architecture follows no trends or fashions, rather placing its focus on the creation of inclusive, invigorating and healthy environments.

Central to this design philosophy is the generation reason connected to the needs of the people, regardless of size or scale of the design opportunity. The practice actively encourages the clients to consider sustainability and environmental issues, employing as often possible, natural, healthy materials. Nicolas Tye Architects work with a group of international leading consultants including structural engineers, project managers, landscaping architects as well as other specialist teams. The studio has a reputation on being able to solve problems, proposing feasibility studies and project reviews, while managing skills and protecting the client’s best interests and investments, in a variety of sectors from commercial office developments, high quality residential, retail outlets, hospitals, restaurants and bars, to arts and educational projects.