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LE HAUT


Residential
Guernsey
2020 - 2023
Photography by Studio Waltzer

⊕ See also ROEBUCK, BARTHOLOMEWS, SCRIB BARN



A stone outbuilding in the grounds of a listed house in Guernsey, converted into a finely crafted home.

The outbuilding was originally built as an agricultural store, and was later extended to form an artist studio and garage. Through a considered combination of external adjustments and internal sculpting, Studio MASH have created a home characterised by delightful moments and remarkable craftsmanship.
“The existing building is heavy set and low lying, with thick walls and a low roof ridge. Creating views out, bringing daylight in and finding opportunities for spatial excitement were key challenges for the project.” Large areas of the height-limited first floor have been removed entirely, creating new vertical connections between the communal spaces of the house. Two first floor bedrooms are connected by dramatic douglas fir walkways spanning over the kitchen/dining area. Two polyvalent ‘blocks’ – one timber, one masonry – were inserted into the centre of the building to perform a multitude of roles in support of the open plan spaces around them. The timber block acts as a 5-sided piece of mega-furniture, with each side serving a different function, whether of dining bench, cloaks cupboard or daybed. Above, the cladding continues upwards to enclose the crow’s nest, a wider area of walkway enclosing a nook from which a newly-formed view onto the garden can be enjoyed. The weightier masonry block is an anchor at the heart of the plan, housing the winding stair and a WC. A library niche above overlooks the lofty living room. Materials have been allowed to bring their natural character to the interiors, from the water ripple grain of douglas fir to the subtle variations in the concrete block and terracotta. Highlights of blue and white tie-in with the materiality of the adjacent main house. The project is one of a pair of Studio MASH projects on the site, with the former garage and gym functions of the stone outbuilding now housed in a translucent vaulted barn in the adjacent field. Both projects have been shortlisted for the Guernsey Design Awards 2024.