Grain Loft Studio | Richard Parr Associates

Project Overview
Richard Parr Associates (RPA) has transformed an historic barn into additional workspace for the practice’s countryside studio. Located at Easter Park Farm, a model farm created for the Woodchester Park Estate in the mid 19th Century, the studio is made up of a series of renovated agricultural barns and overlooks Richard Parr’s home which he has gradually restored over the last decade. The project, which only took 10 months to complete, added to what was a modest studio with eight workstations and a sample room located in barns that were formerly a hayloft, cow shed, dairy barn and a bull pen. As the workforce began to grow, the practice was in need of additional breakout space, flexible meeting area for clients as well as a new studio and library for its founder Richard Parr. Richard saw the opportunity to rework an existing grain loft, one of the last remaining buildings to be converted on the estate, into a self-contained light-filled studio with kitchen and shower room. Care and attention to detail has been employed throughout the space through sensitive restoration and modern intervention, creating the perfect juxtaposition between old and new.

Ground Floor Entrance
Converted from an old cart bay, the ground floor entrance serves as a meeting place for clients as well as informal breakout space, with a simple yet welcoming aesthetic. Carefully chosen materials see the contrast between traditional texture and contemporary sharpness. Old stone-rustic walls are retained and combined with appropriated stable block flooring that was salvaged from another part of the farm while an industrial steel staircase leads up to the first floor. To the right of the stairwell lies an old primitive bench cut from a single tree chunk which sits around a Saarinen table, originally made for the Queen Elizabeth II Ocean Liner.

First Floor – Studio Space
The staircase leads to a slim corridor situated beneath the original pitched roof of the barn, opening out onto the first of the studio spaces. The first space, intended for meetings and informal breakout, is conceived as a relaxing workspace with dark tones and materials. Recycled rubber flooring runs throughout, with a ceiling comprised of wood wool panels which have been left in their natural state. A timber pod containing the shower room and kitchen is panelled and painted with a raw plaster paint colour, has been dropped into the space also providing hidden storage and open bookshelves. A wooden panelled wall, handmade by the late Berthold Lubetkin and rescued from a farmhouse in a neighbouring village where he once stayed, is located to the left of the stairwell, paying homage to the pioneer of British Modernism. Furniture includes mid-century furniture; rosewood leather chairs and sofas are coupled with an extending table to provide flexible workspace. Windows provide both small framed views and expansive open vistas to the farm and surrounding landscapes. An old sack entrance now features floor to ceiling glazing which looks out over the kitchen garden, blurring the boundaries between both external and internal spaces and home and work space.

First Floor – Richard’s Studio
Located in the spot where a former grain loft once sat, Richard’s new studio sees a contrast between industrial and traditional materials. The existing loft had fallen into disrepair over the years so, with the exception of one Cotswold stone wall, had to be rebuilt. Characterised by a traditional pyramid pitched roof structure made from limed Douglas fir, chosen for its sustainability, lightness and appearance, the new intervention is visually distinct yet in keeping with the original buildings. At the centre of the room sits a 2.5m glass worktable designed by Richard paired with Eames office aluminium chairs for him and his team to work comfortably. Contrasting with the darker tones of the first studio space, floor to ceiling windows provide breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. To the south, views towards Richard’s home create a connection to family life while in the north and east, the valley and National Trust parkland can be seen, creating a connection to nature.

Richard Parr, Founder of Richard Parr Associates said: ‘It’s been a joy to extend our studio space, providing much needed flexible workspace for our team. I travel a lot and over the past month it’s been interesting to see how I bring that macro lifestyle into one room. With views out onto the surrounding valleys, the new studio has provided solace whilst working remotely from the team.’