This sensitive site comprised a derelict barn and a smaller stable block in an attractive rural setting. The site is in the Conservation and Landscape Conservation Area, an area of Archaeological Significance and the Metropolitan Green Belt within the St Albans area. Planning consent was secured to replace the existing barn with a six bedroom detached home and separate triple garage, incorporating a comprehensive landscaping scheme to enhance the setting and its biodiversity.

The concept of the design is a 'collection of buildings' that have evolved over time - different roofscapes assist in presenting an evolving scheme over one and two storey high elements. This undulating building height creates visual interest as well as creating a hierarchy between forms and the intended use of the internal spaces. The access route towards the property provides glimpses of a series of low connected barns whilst a large gabled entrance area addresses the point of arrival into the site. The positioning of the kitchen, office and the arrangement of the staircase provide views out over the driveway. To the rear of the property all of the living spaces and first floor bedrooms take advantage of the long views across the site and the adjacent land. A large void over the main sitting area has been created relating to the internal volume of the existing space, allowing a good amount of natural daylight into the internal spaces, whilst framing a view down the gardens.

The 'collection of buildings' is tied together by the use of materials at ground floor level. The proposed brick plinth mimics bays found in the stables on neighbouring sites and also the bays in existing barn. On the upper floor the building is clad in a metal cladding, arranged vertically, relating to the cladding on the existing building. The metal cladding is taken down to the ground floor level only at the entrance area, denoting the point of arrival. The north east and north west elevations are clad in profiled sheets, representing a barn in the countryside. The south west and south east elevations include areas of glazing providing access out to external areas, whilst maximising the views out over the gardens and areas of landscaping. The first floor is treated as a secondary element, clad in a metal and creating verticals to break up the horizontal emphasis of the structures. Feature windows/ openings bleed through from ground to first floor to help dissect the lower and upper forms/ materiality.

The building is highly energy efficient, incorporating the latest sustainable technologies to make the house as 'off-grid' as possible. The thermal performance of the building's fabric has been designed to minimise heat loss and air permeability. The design also seeks to create a balance between the levels of insulation and the exposed thermal mass of the building.