The Bunker | Corstorphine & Wright

Located on a working dairy farm within the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this forgotten historical artefact has been brought back into use, recently opening its doors to guests.

After discovering a series of these abandoned, subterranean bunkers on their land, the client commissioned the architects to convert one into a functioning holiday letting.
The brief was to celebrate the enormous historical significance of the structure whilst ensuring a habitable and commercially viable space for the client. After becoming Grade II listed during the 

planning process, the designers worked closely with Conservation Officers and Heritage Consultants to develop a proposal which would fulfil both aspirations for the bunker.

Part of the ‘Chain Home’ Radar system during WW2, the bunker, along with several others on the clients’ land, and a perimeter of aerial arrays dotted along the English coast, were designed to detect incoming enemy aircraft, and signal their position. This technology became instrumental in the successful defence of the UK against German air raids during the Battle of Britain.

The design for the bunker is deeply rooted in the structure’s history and retains as much of the original fabric and ‘feel’ of the space as possible. The entrance to the Bunker remains as it was, whilst a new ‘bomb blast’ opening in the existing fabric allows natural light into the space, as well as breath- taking sea views across Ringstead Bay. The bunker otherwise remains submerged in the landscape, as it was originally designed to be.

Internally, the concrete walls have been left exposed to retain the original aesthetic and the historical layout of the bunker has largely been untouched. 

This approach has resulted in an incredibly well insulated envelope with thick thermal mass, minimizing energy requirements to heat the internal spaces. The banked earth walls have allowed a covering of planting and foliage to re-establish over the structure and will provide new habitat for wildlife.

Architect: Corstorphine & Wright
Structural engineer: Symmetrys
Quantity surveyor: Tim Richards
Photography and drone footage: Will Scott