The heritage farmhouse is in the postcard-perfect village of Firle, England, was the rural retreat for the Bloomsbury group—some of the most significant artists, writers and thinkers of the 20th century.

The group included famous authors Virginia Woolf and E. M. Forster and important British art influencers Roger Fry, Clive Bell and Kenneth Clarke.

The Charleston Trust now preserves their legacy and creative space. The charitable organisation engaged conservation specialists Julian Harrap Architects to restore the historically important grade III listed barns that had become dilapidated. And Jamie Fobert Architects, the award-winning firm with experience in gallery projects creating extensions including Tate St. Ives and who possess a reputation for historic environments were commissioned to to create a new build for the Exhibition Centre.

The project team needed a material that would be sensitive enough to maintain the historical fabric but durable enough to ensure the legacy for many years to come. Cross-laminated timber, (CLT) by Stora Enso proved to be an excellent choice.

According to the RIBA, 40% of construction activity in the UK relates to the maintenance, renovation or restoration of existing buildings. Design solutions that include the repair, maintenance, adaptation and re-use of historic buildings to sustain and promote their significance are increasingly necessary and relevant.

CLT is proving to be the material of choice for many such projects, leaving, as we see here, a flagship example of conservation, modernisation and adaptation. The CLT restoration in the barns gives a sense of the old with the new and blends in with the space's agricultural roots. The structures feature a pitched warped plane roof with exposed timber rafters, industrial visual grade Sylva™ Walls and Stairs.

The restored barns opened in 2018 and provide flexible, adaptable space with an auditorium, education space, a set of new galleries and a cafe. It continues to be a thriving hub, bringing people together to engage with art and ideas year-round with exhibitions, events and festivals.

The outer studio hosts a permanent display of painters, Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant's legendary Women's Dinner service, and a Bloomsbury-inspired gift shop.

Funding:

The £3.5 million restoration and building of the new exhibition space was made possible thanks to £2.44 million of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) – thanks to National Lottery players, £650,000 from Coast to Capital LEP, £250,000 from Arts Council England and major grants from the Wolfson Foundation, Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement, the Monument Trust, the Foyle Foundation and The Ashley Family Foundation, as well as a group of generous individuals.

Read more:

Architectural Review Magazine

https://www.architectural-review.com/magazines/ar-december-2023-january-2024-the-artists-house-ar-house

House and Garden Magazine:

https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/charleston