IF_DO and Measur, Suffolk
From technical design development to site logistics, this stunning contemporary redevelopment of a historic timber-frame barn was one of our most ambitious projects to date. Works included structural steel, hardwood joinery, formed concrete and bespoke glazing.
As principal contractor and fabricator for the Gallery Barn, our team worked closely with architects IF_DO, structural engineers Simple Works and client representatives Measur to deliver a quality finish throughout.
The vast interior of the barn is bookended by two creative architectural interventions. On one side, the 'performance pod' with its open mezzanine and, on the other, the 'fireplace pod' with its intricate maze of intimate spaces over three floors.
←Looking out from the 'performance pod' towards the fireplace pod. Concertina doors create a flexible space beneath the mezzanine stage.
Structural steelwork and ash joinery was prefabricated in our studio before being fitted and finished on site. Technical design development and precise fabrication methodologies made for seamless transitions between materials.
↑Formed concrete and micro-cement render on the ground floor of the 'fireplace pod'.
↘Solid ash screens and book-matched veneered joinery create cosy reading nooks.
Simple material choices – blackened steel and ash, polish concrete and glass – create synthesis between these contemporary features and the historic oak-framed barn.
↑The technically ambitious cantilevered mezzanine in the 'fireplace pod'.
→Blackened steel spiral staircase on the 'performance pod'.
In addition to the interior features, our works included the fabrication and installation of bespoke glazed doors and new oak-framed windows. As principal contractor, we were responsible for overseeing subcontracted works including polished concrete floor, electrical installation and decoration.
↑The vast pivot door, designed and fabricated by our team in collaboration with IF_DO and Simple Works, opens up the barn to the garden beyond.
→New oak-framed windows offer views from the various vantage points created by the multi-story interventions within the barn.
↓This bespoke sliding door creates an impressive new main entrance.
A labour of love for both project team and client, this sensitive renovation transforms a disused historic building into a multi-functional contemporary space.
