The house is built in an L-shape, which allowed space to include a small courtyard
© Sophie Kaye
“I am especially proud of the fact that we built on a brownfield site. “I see so many other derelict areas which could provide wonderful imaginative homes”
the architect’s face. So, we simply made other reductions, and I have no regrets.” The overall look of the finished building is industrial modern/Edwardian classic. “If there can be such a combo,” explains Jane. “The Corten steel and ceiling height windows overlooking the courtyard are blended with Edwardian brick flooring on a tiny outside courtyard, and all surrounded by the original wall.”
The interior is modern, practical and simple. “My daughter insisted on the best quality for everything, which she argued we would be grateful for in the long run. So, we went for colour, simplicity, practicality and quality,” explains Jane. “We were looking for a contemporary feel to match the exterior but we knew we didn't want a cold look or feel with the decorating, so we went for a warm neutral colour, iron shelving, lots of plants and some bursts of bright colours in the furnishings.” “Before the build started, the entrance had been painted mint green matching the colour of a little greenhouse in the corner round the back of the derelict property,” she says. “We really wanted to keep some of that colour running through, especially since the ground floor rooms looked onto the courtyard and the entrance. So, we used mint green for the courtyard entrance, which we had designed to look like the entrance to a factory rather than a classic wooden door, as well as for the staircase inside
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and the tiling throughout.” Perhaps one of the more unusual decisions they made was to retain the graffiti on the outside wall. “I am so pleased we kept the Edwardian outside wall with all the original graffiti, which as all Bristolians know, is par for the course,” says Jane, alluding to Bristol’s most famous resident artist, Banksy. “We also have an original Edwardian postbox, which was built into the wall, and is still used.” The main reason for keeping the wall was that the site felt like an urban oasis; the design was aimed at preserving as much of this quality as possible. “The contrast between the busy street and the quiet courtyard was striking,” says Martina. ”From a practical point of view, the wall provides good protection to the site which is otherwise very exposed. It is covered in graffiti which is part of the local character and we were realistic about the fact that anything new would get covered in graffiti very quickly.” It also fits in with Barefoot’s philosophy to re-use as much as possible of what is on site to reduce the environmental impact. In fact, the wall was discovered to be in poor condition and is now cleverly supported by attaching it to a new timber frame. Jane has plenty of favourite features in the
award-winning home. She says: “The other wonderful feature is the roof garden, which on one side overlooks the characterful street life, and on the other, Mina Park with its trees
jan/feb 2022 LOW POINT
“The 10 metre deep foundations: ‘Frustrating, since all the other houses in the neighbourhood have stood for 100 years on one-metre deep foundations.”
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