The extension and the new annexe perfectly complement one another; © James Brittain
Cooke Fawcett architects have redeveloped a 17th Century Grade II-listed water mill on the banks of the River Test in Hampshire. They extended the existing home while also adding a new artist studio and maker’s workshop building. The low-energy refurbishment and additional studio preserves the charm of the heritage property while future-proofing it for years to come.
The project lies on a bucolic site that was historically the location of a series of corn and paper mills. Now it is a popular location for fly fishing, and it has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Local character was, understandably, front and centre within the clients’ brief. The project had to be in keeping with its surroundings.
“The setting is idyllic,” says architect Oliver Cooke, Director and Founding Partner at Cooke Fawcett explains. “The surroundings had become quite overgrown, which had its own charm, with the house being surrounded by self-seeded Sycamore trees.”
The exposed oak ceiling has an eye-catching fan-shaped design; © James Brittain
There were several different aspects to the project. The original miller’s cottage was to be refurbished and extended; and a neighbouring workshop/studio annexe was to be built.
The commission came about via a mutual friend, who recommended them to the clients. They are a creative, artistic couple; one of them a picture-framer and woodworker; and the other an artist.
The mill house refurbishment
After decades as an unloved rental property, the hand-crafted character of the mill house was restored using a palette of natural materials – including wood fibre insulation and lime plaster and linseed on the lathe and plaster walls. It has been carefully refurbished, with the building’s later modifications stripped away.
All of the spaces in the house’s plan were previously quite inward-looking, with small windows, so the architects sought to create an outward-looking space that embraced the garden. The kitchen and living area were quite small, so the refurbishment set about providing more of a flow of different spaces to the layout.
The house’s building fabric upgrade used a lime plaster, left exposed, except in areas such as the bathroom, where it received a protective linseed oil finish; © James Brittain
Due to heritage constraints, the building could not be entirely reconfigured. Accordingly, at the northeast corner of the house, a new ground-floor extension now wraps around the house, creating a spacious glazed open-plan dining/sitting room accessed via the kitchen. A reconfiguration of the plan maximises the living spaces whilst preserving the charm and character of the original house, granting generous additional space for eating and hanging out.
An oak timber frame
The timber frame for the house extension is made from oak, and was designed by the architects in conjunction with the structural engineer, Philip Cooper of Cambridge Architectural Research (CAR Ltd).
Initially the architects had looked at bringing in a specialist timber subcontractor. But when they tendered the project, they saw an opportunity to work with a local contractor, Paul Roper Traditional Contracting, and make use of their carpentry skills on site.
Perhaps the most striking timber feature in the project is the fan-shaped design of the exposed oak ceiling. It emphasises the manner in which the extension wraps around the building and opens it up to views of the surrounding garden and mill race.
“The contractor is really experienced with heritage work, which definitely helps when working with natural and breathable materials,” Oliver reflects. “They are very familiar with that supply chain, and had a great lime plasterer as part of their crew.”
Enabling works on the site led to the discovery of the mill house’s bread oven, concealed behind a brick wall, which has been retained, lending a make-do-and-mend aesthetic to the kitchen, which incorporates salvaged upcycled furniture.
Improving the fabric for a cosy new home
One of the main drivers for the refurb was to improve the building’s fabric and thermal performance. The previous owners had created a damp issue by tanking the house, which meant the walls had to be completely refurbished. The building was lined with Steico wood fibre insulation, supplied by Mike Wye, with lime plaster finishes, while the windows remained single glazed. Wood fibre insulation was installed in the walls and existing roofs of the house.
“The lime plaster finish was left exposed,” Oliver tells us. “Instead of painting it we mixed pigments directly into the plaster itself, using a palette based on a collection of pebbles the client found on a Scottish beach. For the areas with more wear and tear and humidity, there is a linseed oil finish.”
The new studio building
An elegant single-storey structure which mirrors the plan of the existing mill, the new studio annexe is also timber-framed, but in Douglas Fir. Its overhanging roofs are clad in a striking but cost-effective crinkly tin that complements the zinc roof of the house’s extension. Tailored to the practices of the project’s clients, it gives them a dedicated space for their creativity to flourish, with a lean, utilitarian design that speaks to the light industrial heritage of the area.
The annexe has a shared entrance at the centre of the plan and each studio has a secondary entrance. A verandah at the far end provides exterior working space, which is sheltered under the eaves of the projecting roof. Built from weathered Jarrah wood sleepers, sourced by the clients, it also grounds the new building into its landscape.
The studio annexe has a Douglas Fir frame and a light-industrial feel to its design; © James Brittain
Sycamore cladding
Sycamore, a species native to the UK and prevalent in the area, was selected to clad the annexe as a low-carbon solution. This was supplied by TDUK members Vastern timber – part of their Brimstone range of cladding which has been heat-treated for extra durability.
“The boards are very durable but are a little brittle as a result of the heat modification – so you need to pilot drill the nail holes prior to installing them rather than just fixing straight through them,” Oliver explains. “The client, being used to working with wood, was keen to be involved and ended up finishing off some of the trickier areas around doors and windows.”
Considerations around weathering of exposed elements were discussed with the client, who put together a sample board to observe the material’s weathering. Their affinity with timber gave them confidence to be quite experimental with some of the detail, for example the exposed roof beams and rafters at each end of the studio building.
The new studios make the most of natural light and optimise useable space; © James Brittain
Two practical, functional workspaces
Internally the studio spaces are functional and straightforward. They consist of two naturally lit workspaces with exposed structure and concrete floors, with adjacent storage, a shared utility room, and a separate darkroom at the rear. The workshop accommodates large-scale machinery including a wood processing unit and features an adjacent space for storing tools and materials for picture framing.
Wall space is at a premium for storing tools and materials, so the full plywood linings offer complete flexibility for fixings. The studios feature space for moveable drawing tables and plan chests and are lined with built-in storage for the display of models.
A large pocket door offers generous access to storage space without sacrificing any internal area to door swings. A wide double-door opening at the centre of the plan closes off the two spaces to isolate noise and dust, whilst allowing for flexible working between the two spaces.
Letting the light in
The long north clerestory opens the building to the trees and brings even north light into the workshop, allowing focused woodwork to take place at all hours of the day. The characterful round window in the south elevation introduces a sense of abstraction and human scale, reconnecting the studio back to the mill house. In both studio spaces, large rooflights create high levels of natural light to the spaces – critical to the clients’ working practices.
A future-proof home that respects its heritage
The end result is a scheme which is respectful of and enhances the listed mill. Cooke Fawcett worked closely with Hampshire conservation officers, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, and Heritage consultant Neil Burton of Architectural History Practice and it shows. It’s a scheme in which traditional building techniques and materials sit alongside contemporary technology: a water-sourced heat pump now powers heating across the site, enabling a transition from fossil fuels to renewables.
Construction stage, from inside the new studio building; © Peter Landers
The mill itself remains largely untouched, the only intervention being the installation in the mill race of the heat pump, and the installation of related plant in one part of the mill itself.
The works contain an element of future-proofing with consent granted for the opening up of previously blocked original window openings in the mill – something the clients may choose to pursue in the future. If the clients wish to, they will be able to install solar panels on the studio roof, as it has been designed to be able to take additional loading – with space allocated for the panels.
