ABSTRACT
The adaptation of old buildings is a complex process but the way it is tackled is the same as with any building type. At the simplest and least destructive level, a building is given new life through careful and skilful repair using appropriate materials and craftsmanship. The updating of a building is likely to build upon the philosophy of skilful repair but inevitably involves more fundamental change and is likely to have a direct impact on the building’s fabric. In creating the concept for the roof extension, Piercy&Company took inspiration from the geometry of the existing building and the sculptural interior of vaulted brickwork. The glass box extension when added to old buildings provokes mixed reactions. Few new buildings echo the form of their host more closely than the Dovecote Studio in Suffolk. Conceived as a ‘primitive hut’, the new building was designed to reinforce the role of the wing as a separate dwelling.
