BARTON BARNS

SAP Cottage: 73C  Environmental Impact: 75C

SAP Barns 2/3: 77C  Environmental Impact: 85B

Planning Constraints: Grade II Listed

Our conversion of Grade II listed barns and a 17th-century cottage at Restronguet Barton Farm is a masterclass in heritage-sensitive, sustainable architecture. The project includes two dwellings, restoration of a rare oxen-driven whim, and a sedum-roofed glass link—all delivered with locally sourced materials and renewable technologies.

Despite severe structural decay, the cottage was saved through careful reconstruction, cob wall rebuilding, and reclaimed slate roofing. The whim barn was preserved as a standalone heritage structure, while the converted barns now feature underfloor heating powered by ground source heat pumps and solar thermal panels.

Natural insulation, breathable lime-hemp plaster, and timber cladding ensure low embodied carbon and healthy indoor air quality. The result is a deeply personal, low-energy home that honours agricultural history while embracing modern comfort. For our clients, it’s a return to family roots – and a legacy of sustainable stewardship admired by all who pass.

The clients sought to restore and convert a collection of Grade II listed barns and a 17th-century cottage at Restronguet Barton Farm into sustainable family homes that respected the site’s rich heritage. The brief called for a sensitive approach that preserved the farmstead’s historic character while introducing modern comfort, renewable energy systems, and long-term durability. Reconnection to family roots and the preservation of cultural identity were key motivations behind the project.

The design centred on maintaining the authenticity of the original buildings while subtly integrating contemporary interventions. Historic cob walls, timber beams, and reclaimed materials were carefully retained or reconstructed, while a sedum-roofed glass link provides a light, modern connection between old and new. The rare oxen-driven whim was restored as a standalone heritage feature, anchoring the site’s agricultural story. The architectural language balances preservation with innovation, allowing the buildings to remain relevant and functional in a modern context.

Construction required expert conservation techniques to stabilise and rebuild severely decayed structures using traditional methods and locally sourced materials. The cottage was reconstructed with cob walls and finished with a reclaimed slate roof, while the barns were upgraded with renewable energy technologies, including ground source heat pumps, solar thermal panels, and underfloor heating. Breathable lime-hemp plaster and natural insulation maintain healthy indoor air quality and regulate humidity. Timber cladding and sedum roofs provide visual and environmental harmony, resulting in a low-energy, heritage-sensitive home that exemplifies sustainable rural architecture.

The main challenges were retaining as much of the historic fabric as possible and making the structure safe.  This included underpinning, rebuilding of gable wall, chimney, replacing cob walls and protecting them from the weather.  Working with the bat ecologist and replacing all roofs with reclaimed slate proved challenging for different reasons.

Architects Working Across Cornwall

ARCO2 designs contemporary sustainable homes across Cornwall, including North Cornwall, South Cornwall and coastal locations such as Polzeath, Rock, Padstow, Mawgan Porth, Falmouth and beyond. Our work combines contemporary architecture with low energy design principles, carefully responding to landscape, climate and long-term building performance.

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