Straithead Barn
The Straithead Barn is a Grade II * listed residential building situated close to the centre of Doddiscombsleigh village. The barn has suffered several years of neglect which has left it at risk of dereliction. The barn is now owned by a local builder and historic conservation specialist who intends to sustainably restore and extend the barn using.
The new building seeks to create dialogue with the existing thatch; with a dropped ridge line and shingles that hang over the flank walls imitating the form and weightiness of the barn. The natural roofs made of oak singles and local straw will age and weather over time.
The new building is partially sunken into the hillside and sits upon a short colonnade of oak columns with glazing in between, creating a lightweight base which the oak clad first floor structure sits upon.
Internally the oak colonnade frames views over the surrounding landscape and at first floor the open gable end provides much more open views. The partitions to the existing barn are removed, as is the first floor level, allowing the barn to be enjoyed as a full height open space, similar to when it was first used as a hayloft many years ago.
