Studio Weave reimagines Devon cottage through creative addition
Studio Weave transforms cottage in Devon with Made of Sand, a textured and considered modern addition
A Devon cottage has been given a new lease of life through a considered extension by London-based architects Studio Weave. Made of Sand, as the project was named, is the transformation of a traditional stone structure into a modern retreat, by the addition of a two-storey timber pavilion on one end. The secluded property in the Blackdown Hills now has extra capacity to host guests and can also act as a dedicated creative space for its owners, celebrating the flexible architectural addition that marks a new era to the historical original property’s life.
The timber structure can be accessed and inhabited separately from the main cottage, which accounts for its flexibility in use. Its forms are unmistakably contemporary, but thanks to a careful balancing of volumes, façade rhythms, and choice of materials (such as the exterior’s external Red Western cedar panelling, but also the clay, terracotta, and brass found inside), it still feels at home in the natural and historical context of its site.
‘Made of Sand balances our signature technical precision in an organic, natural setting. The contrast between materials, old and new, inside and outside, are foregrounded to create a distinct sense of rest and relaxation in the new spaces,’ says Studio Weave’s director Je Ahn.
The extension replaces an old garage and workshop building that had fallen into disrepair. At the same time, the original structure’s utilitarian nature lives on through the new design’s openness, honesty in materials and pared-down decorative approach. Framework remains on display (also reducing material use and wastage), Douglas fir ceiling soffits are celebrated and structural details act as design features to be lived with and used daily – such as the window seating and wall storage, which have been incorporated into the build.
‘Made of Sand is a place designed to share with others, including those requiring a creative recharge, not just our own family and friends. It’s a place [where] we feel rested and revived and was a haven during lockdown, so we’re looking forward to seeing others build relationships with both the landscape and creative- and community-centred organisations in the area too,’ the owners say.
INFORMATION
studioweave.com
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Dial into the Boring Phone and more smartphone alternatives
From the deliberately dull new Boring Phone to Honor’s latest hook-up with Porsche, a host of new devices that do the phone thing slightly differently
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Berlinde De Bruyckere’s angels without faces touch down in Venice church
Belgian artist Berlinde De Bruyckere’s recent archangel sculptures occupy the 16th-century white marble Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore for the Venice Biennale 2024
By Osman Can Yerebakan Published
-
Discover Acqua di Parma’s new Mandarino di Sicilia fragrance at Milan Design Week 2024
Acqua di Parma and Fornice Objects bring the splendour of Sicilian mandarin fields to Milan to celebrate new fragrance Mandarino di Sicilia
By Simon Mills Published
-
Modernist architecture: inspiration from across the globe
Modernist architecture has had a tremendous influence on today’s built environment, making these midcentury marvels some of the most closely studied 20th-century buildings; check back soon for new additions to our list
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Timber-framed Wimbledon house is a minimalist, low-energy affair
A new timber-framed Wimbledon house is designed to blend into its traditional surroundings with a neat brick façade, careful massing and pared back interiors
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
London Science Museum’s Energy Revolution gallery champions sustainable exhibition design
The Energy Revolution gallery opens at London’s Science Museum, exploring decarbonisation through sustainable exhibition design by Unknown Works
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
This South Downs house stands as a testament to the value of quiet refinement
At one with the landscape, a South Downs house uses elements of quintessential country villas and midcentury gems with modern technologies
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Ash Tree House offers a contextual approach to a north London site
Ash Tree House by Edgley Design is a modern family home in a north London conservation area's backyard site
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
In memoriam: John Miller (1930-2024)
We remember John Miller, an accomplished British architect and educator who advocated a quiet but rigorous modernism
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
River Wing at Clare College responds to its historic Cambridge heritage
University of Cambridge opens its new River Wing on Clare College Old Court, uniting modern technology with historic design
By Clare Dowdy Published
-
Camden Workshop offers flexible family space in a transformed north London warehouse
Camden Workshop, a transformed industrial space in north London, was designed by architects McLaren Excell to combine residential space and a creative studio for its owners
By Ellie Stathaki Published