Rural offices – Upper Twyford Barns, Herefordshire

Prior to conversion, Upper Twyford Barns consisted of two derelict traditional farm buildings being the remains of a historic farmstead. Soon after acquisition of the estate in 2000, the Duchy decided to prepare a scheme to convert the barns into further examples of rural workshops, the proposals receiving the full backing of the local Planning Authority.

Interest in the project was received from a firm of architects trading as Architype who specialise in environmentally friendly and energy conservation designs. Architype’s interest was twofold: First to design and act as architects for the project and secondly to become the occupying lessees of the completed offices.

Conversion works started in late 2004 with Architype, who hope to employ up to 17 people within the site, moving in during the spring of 2006. Sustainable design criteria have been at the forefront of the project; built by a Herefordshire company using local materials, it incorporates the estate’s first energy efficient biomass boiler.