Kingspan Insulation - River Studio
Project Details
Supplier - Kingspan Insulation
Project - River Studio - a mid-20th Century barn conversion
Technology - SIPS & Steel
Sector - Commercial
Project Overview
Thanks to programmes such as Grand Designs, the phrase 'barn conversion' now invokes romantic images of arcane buildings with exposed timber beams. For architects Sjölander da Cruz, the reality was very different when they chose to convert a mid-20th Century barn for their new studio. The building was a rusted mess of asbestos, corrugated iron and cement breeze blocks situated within the tight planning restrictions of the Warwickshire green belt. Whilst many would have opted for a bulldozer, the firm instead acted as architect and developer to produce an intelligent design, embracing the full benefits of SIPs, creating something truly special. River Studio uses SIPs to clad the building's original steel frame, helping to go above and beyond the demanding thermal and airtightness requirements of the EnerPHit standard, without extending the building footprint. Internally, the SIPs help to maximise working space in a modern design which exposes and celebrates the oxidised building frame whilst externally, the SIPs form the base for western red cedar cladding, gently blending with the rural surroundings. River Studio is a shining example of the exceptional performance and adaptability that timber construction can offer.
