With its north-facing frontage, crumbling roof and industrial red brick walls, Mark Lee’s old Yorkshire barn didn’t stand up to close scrutiny. The property had stood empty for years and the harsh Yorkshire winters had taken their toll. But Mark had big ideas for the tired old build-
ing that would transform it from a dilapidated eyesore in the middle of Green Belt countryside into a stunning family home with spectacular countryside views. He drew up plans to build a completely new
house around the existing property, creating an outer skin of reclaimed local stone and extend- ing it to include a second building, linked by a fully glazed living room and pergola. The success of the build would be based on
direct and borrowed light, vertical space, visual links and a close relationship between interior and exterior. But the project would take much longer than Mark expected. “There was a lot going on at once,” he says.
“The business was moving into new offices, I was renovating another property and trying to do a full time job as well as building this. Something had to give.” Mark acquired the barn when he bought an
old dye house on the outskirts of Huddersfield to convert into stylish new offices for his archi- tectural design company, One 17 Design. The purchase included three acres of land that housed an old piggery and the barn. To maintain the cash flow, Mark developed
the offices first then started to convert the two outbuildings together, concentrating solely on the barn once the piggery was watertight. Although the plot stands in an area of Green
Belt countryside, Mark assured the local Kirklees planning authority that his vision for the barn would enhance its appearance and create something that was more in keeping with the rural vernacular than the disappearing industrial landscape. To enhance its visual appeal, he
[Mark’s] vision for the barn would enhance its appearance and create something that was more in keeping with the rural vernacular
...continued on page 13 selfbuilder & homemaker
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