Designed for farmstead life

Church Farm sits respectfully alongside a medieval church, whilst providing bright, modern living spaces that open up far-reaching views of the surrounding countryside.

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In 2020, architects TAMA Studio were commissioned to design a new farmhouse on the footprint of an old farmyard, on the outskirts of a rural Oxfordshire village.

The brief was to create a building that looked like a traditional farm from the roadside, but from the inside would maximise the views out to the hills and views in the south. In the style of a vernacular Oxfordshire farmyard, the plan of the house was laid out as a collection of buildings to form garages, a utility wing, a kitchen, a living room and bedrooms. These buildings were in turn arranged around a series of courtyards - an entrance courtyard with open barns for cars and farm storage, the west courtyard (a suntrap for humans and dogs alike) accessed through a low external passageway and the south courtyard, a place to pull out the big kitchen table for long Sunday lunches in the sun.

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The bedrooms and sitting room are located in the easterly two-storey stone building, in which the living room is sunken into the landscape. This simple change of level delineates a quieter space, with a large square picture window offering a view out to the surrounding farmland and changing light throughout the day.

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The materials palette was strongly influenced by traditional farmyards in the locality. Stone, clay tile and oak cladding will all naturally age to blend in with the Oxfordshire landscape as well as providing hardwearing, long-lasting materials that will last the test of time. 

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"The project is essentially a collection of traditional farm buildings, arranged around a series of courtyards," says James Moore, TAMA Studio. "From the outside, the windows and and walls remain agricultural - but once you step inside, the plan unfolds to show bright, generous free-flowing living spaces that spill out to a sunny south-facing courtyard with views out to the Uffington Horse and surrounding hills. Perfect for long Sunday lunches and escaping into your own private world."

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"Barr Build excelled in bringing this stunning project to life," says James. "Bringing our knowledge of local traditional building techniques paired with a sharp, crisp ability to execute each detail to create a beautifully finished project - honouring the architectural designs and meeting our client's needs."

Barr Build would like to thank the wider project team for delivering such a successful project for all involved.

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