The brief

A furniture maker outgrew a converted barn and asked for a workshop that would stay bright, dry and quiet enough to talk over the machines.

The building is a single long hall, with the workshop at one end, the showroom at the other and the finishing room in between.

North light all day. That was the one thing they would not compromise on.Marco Bellini, partner

Material and structure

Glulam frames carry a sawtooth roof that faces north. The walls are dark fibre cement over timber studs, with one long sliding wall towards the field.

  • Sawtooth roof with north light
  • Offcuts burnt for heating in winter
  • Photovoltaic panels on the south slopes

On site

The workshop team helped build the showroom joinery themselves. The first pieces made in the new hall were the reception desk and the meeting table.