DMW architects have submitted a proposal for the extensive conversion and remodelling of a listed building, set deep in the West Dorset countryside.
The existing Victorian farmstead is in a poor state of repair and offers the chance for sensitive renovation and conversion.
Working closely with Dorset Council’s Conservation Officer, the proposal seeks to respond in 3 keys ways.
- Retention of a single wing as a remnant of history, unaltered by the proposal.
- Sensitive conversion of the remaining structure, where key features including King-post trusses and stone walls will be celebrated and expressed.
- The introduction of a lightweight modern pavilion. This addition is connected to the existing structure via a lightweight glazed link, clearly expressing the connection between new and old and minimising impact on the historic fabric.
As with all conservation projects, it is important to respect and preserve the integrity of the existing building. Instead of copying the Victorian language (pastiche), our strategy for the new addition is to introduce a sensitive, lightweight pavilion that is distinct and juxtaposed from the existing.
Virtual Reality (VR) is becoming a key part of our working method, which allows clients to be fully immersed into the building and site. The user is positioned into a 3d environment which they can then navigate around exploring all aspects of the site and building. In the case of Minterne Barns we used VR from the outset and were able to make design decisions quicker and more precisely than previous working methods.
The showreel has two VR examples, the first being the working model which can be updated whilst the user is in VR. The second shows the output with rendering software added to the model. Unlike traditional rendering packages which produce a single viewpoint, this software can also be viewed in real-time, so the user has a fully rendered experience.