What was originally a derelict, local council public toilet and electrical substation block was converted by Jon into a three bedroom house. Windy Corner is now a warm, characterful, contemporary family home.
Before work began, a new electrical substation had to be commissioned in the corner of the plot and shrouded with a thick masonry wall. This left enough space for two courtyard gardens and screened the substation from view.
By extending the central section of the original building, the first floor provides three bedrooms within the roof space with sloping ceilings and exposed structural timbers.
The ground floor consists of two living spaces, an open plan kitchen-living- dining area, and a separate formal sitting room.
The design retains key features of the original building. The stone mullioned windows of the old toilets now bring light into the entrance hall and open plan kitchen. The Cotswold stone external wall of the original substation remains exposed within the sitting room and shows off the carved stone lettering above the former main entrance.
A wood-burning stove, heat-exchange ventilation and under-floor heating establish an eco-friendly, comfortable internal environment. Cotswold stone, slates, and structural oak beams were sourced from the local area and combine with sweet-chestnut cladding to give a contemporary twist on the local vernacular.
Photography by John Lawrence: www.johnlawrence.org.uk