Corten Cottage blends effortlessly into its arboreal setting

Their brief, to Shaun Huddleson of Facture Architects, was for a multipurpose dwelling which would provide home-working spaces, an open plan meeting room, a home gym and self-contained guest accommodation.

Facture Architects were commissioned by our clients to redesign the buildings to belong in their arboreal setting, as well as giving them somewhere to work, play and accommodate visitors. The plan was to retain the core sections of the original structures (a disused, structurally unstable cottage, its adjacent workshop, and further lean-to additions) as well as adding new elements.

Shaun introduced a “unifying material language”, which would wrap the new and existing elements into a single composition. Corten steel was chosen for its material qualities* and its relationship to the woodland site over time, especially where one wing of the building is buried in leaf mulch for much of the year.

“The corten wraps the new volumes and over-clads the original structure in a bespoke rainscreen system, while lightweight glazed links connect the distinct masses,” says Shaun Huddleston, Facture Architects. "The outcome is a materially rich architecture, one that demonstrates how constructional clarity and environmental sensitivity can inform the final solution.”

Two mature oak trees, one of which was growing into the corner of the existing structure, and an unstable original cottage presented significant design constraints that would shape both the design strategy and the build implementation.

“The solution,” says Shaun, “was to use lightweight screw piles, carefully located between the tree roots, as the foundations. This structural sequence would dictate the entire construction approach — the story of which remains legible in the finished architecture.”

Alongside extensive works to the building itself, the Barr Build team, led by Contracts Manager James Sutton, assumed overall responsibility for delivery of the complex cladding, working closely with Facture Architects as designers, the structural steel fabricators, and specialist installers to ensure that all elements were precisely executed.

“This multi-disciplinary team directly shaped the final project outcome,” says Shaun. “Things may have been significantly different had the design and installation been subcontracted to a cladding specialist.”

The project is defined, not just by its striking structural form and materials composition, but also by its finer detailing. Small rivet fixings, set within countersunk pre-machined holes, were used to communicate how the sheets come together — visible closeup, but not distracting from the structural form when viewed as a whole.

Inside the structure, significant remodelling was required to achieve the property's multipurpose functionality. Guest accommodation, individual offices, a first-floor open-plan meeting space, kitchen and bathroom facilities, and a home gym were all integrated into the scheme.

The standout defining project feature is, of course, the relationship of the cottage to the majestic, protected oak trees at either side. As well as the specialist foundation system and material composition of the cottage, a bespoke drainage system was designed to enable property and arboreal harmony. Super-slim perforated trays allow heavy rain to flow into an invisible gutter, barring leaf entry and allowing the roof structure to sit comfortably beneath piles of tree mulch, beautifully complemented by the increasingly autumnal hues of the Corten.

Barr Build continue to work alongside Facture Architects on the residence, with landscaping works and a ‘from-scratch’ corten pool house due for completion in summer 2026.

Photographed by Francesco Russo, soon after construction, we can see the corten patination in progress. We look forward to returning in the springtime to see Corten Cottage in full use and with the patination complete.

Footnote: 

*The durability of corten steel comes from its unique alloy composition, which includes copper, chromium, and nickel, allowing a protective rust-like layer, or patina, to form on its surface when exposed to the elements over many seasons. This self-protecting patina acts as a barrier against further corrosion and will self-repair if scratched, further enhancing its resilience and longevity.

Interventions:

• Removal of a lean-to store to the north-west side of the building, where tree roots were making the site significantly less stable.
• Removal of dormers and bays from the original cottage.
• Addition of a glazed link between the two masses, creating a clear point of entry and tying the composition together.  
• Rebuild of a single-storey extension to the rear of the cottage, in subservient black cladding.  
• Addition of a new glazed element in the south-east of the cottage, balancing the original masses.
• Remodelling of the roof structures to align roof pitches and balance the roof masses.
• Internal remodelling created guest accommodation, kitchen, bathrooms, office spaces, a first-floor meeting room and a home gym.