Our process - design sheets

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www.thebuildingworkshop.co.uk

For each of our projects, we put together a design sheet to show our inspiration and ideas.  These sheets show sketches, pictures and materials.  

  

  

Spring time??

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www.thebuildingworkshop.co.uk

Today it's a beautiful day, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and there are buds on the branches.  We can see grass in all of the fields around our office and if we didn't know better, we might even have thought that Spring was here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Project 001 La Bergerie

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www.thebuildingworkshop.co.uk

  

Building Workshop's project 001 is nearly finished.  The finishing touches will be completed once the snow has melted and Spring has arrived.  The brief was to transform 'La Bergerie' - a tired 1970s barn conversion - into a contemporary family home with open plan living spaces and lots of natural daylight.  The home had to be functional as well as comfortable, with ample storage space for winter sports equipment.  The barn is in the French Alps with fantastic panoramic views which change dramatically with the seasons.  

 

 

   

Using development models, it became clear that the best solution was to build a kitchen and living space to the south of the existing building - this would maximise natural daylight, solar gain and give the best possible views of the surrounding countryside.  The natural slope of the hillside is used to provide space for a garage and ski equipment underneath the main living space. 

   

 

 

  

 

 

  

The roof structure is braced to support heavy snow loads and has a racking system to hold the snow on the roof, providing extra insulation.  The back wall of the house is one metre thick to withstand avalanches.

 

 

 

The large open plan living room will have a big kitchen island connecting the old barn with the contemporary space, a dining table and sofas and chairs around an open fire.  External sliding timber screens provide shade when it's too sunny, without shutting out the natural daylight.  

 

  

  

 

 

  

We can't wait until project 001 is fully completed with all of the finishing touches!

Architect's Kitchen - Spicy Apple Chutney

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www.thebuildingworkshop.co.uk

This is a recipe from Irish cook, Darina Allen's, 'Ballymaloe Cookery Course' book.  http://www.cookingisfun.ie/

We made lots of jars of this chutney, put nice labels on them and gave them as Christmas presents this year.  It's a really simple recipe to make and is delicious with cheese, toasties, sausages, cold meats and all sorts of things.  

This recipe makes 6-8 x 450g jars.  The chutney should be left to mature in the jars for two weeks before eating.   

 

 

Things we love: Nutscene

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www.thebuildingworkshop.co.uk

Yesterday we went to pick up a Christmas present from Nutscene that had been held up by the bad weather - a Sheila Maid for drying clothes.  Every home needs one - they are simple, practical, they last forever and they look nice too.  

 

We had no idea that such a cool company was based so close to us.  Nutscene - originally from Dundee - is based in Kingsmuir.  They sell things for the home and garden and their original product is garden twine.  Their first product - green garden twine - gave the company it's name.  Being the same colour as a stem, when it is tied around a plant, it's not seen or 'Nutscene' in the Dundonian accent!    

 

The company still use the graphics from their 1930s labels, we really like them - they are simple and friendly.  Nutscene sell their products all over the world