Tynings Farm
Low-energy rural home within the Somerset countryside
Conversion and extension of a traditional stone sheep pen
Location: Somerset
Typology: Rural conversion and extension
Client: Home owner
Status: Concept design
Typology: Rural conversion and extension
Client: Home owner
Status: Concept design
Set within an exposed rural setting in the Mendip Hills, this proposal brings forward the sensitive conversion of a traditional stone-walled sheep pen into a low-energy home. The scheme includes the demolition of a later barn, the careful addition of a single-storey extension discreetly placed to the rear.
The retained structure forms the prominent elevation, preserved and minimally altered with new timber windows and doors. Behind this, a contemporary green-roofed volume is embedded into the landscape with soft planting and a reduced profile to limit its visual impact.
Materials are guided by both setting and sustainability: natural stone, timber cladding, timber louvres, and planted roofs. Operational energy demand is reduced through passive solar design, water harvesting, thermal upgrades, and airtight construction.
Embodied carbon is addressed by retaining and reusing the existing structure, while on-site renewables – including solar PV and domestic batteries – meet the home’s reduced energy needs. The result is a quiet, landscape-led rural dwelling that celebrates the site’s agricultural heritage while delivering long-term environmental performance.
