Updating a historic building should be a routine skill for any architect. In practice, it rarely is. In the UK, where listed buildings and their legislation are plentiful, even minor changes can look daunting. That caution is often deserved, given how casually some owners have treated the past. When necessity, sensitivity and inventive design finally align, though, the process still takes time. A recent steel roof barn conversion in Kent shows how that alignment can work.
A Kent barn turned back toward its land
This steel roof barn conversion in Kent shows how that balance works. The original building dates to the 16th century and holds Grade II listing. Its oak frame, clay tiled roof and horizontal weatherboarding are typical of the form. The site sits within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The owners, a curator and a joinery designer, wanted to update the layout and improve the house.
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An earlier conversion, carried out in 2003, had turned the barn inward. It closed off the connection to the original farmhouse and entrance yard. As a result, the building lost its link to the garden allocated to the new dwelling. Sandy Rendel Architects, a South London practice known for Bury Gate Farm on the South Downs and an elegant village residence, was commissioned to fix the outlook.
Rendel describes the main goal as reorienting the house. The aim was a clearer connection to the outdoor spaces and to the fields to the southwest. Reaching that goal required extensive negotiations with the planners. Those talks produced a breakthrough for the new kitchen extension, which reshapes the interior of the former barn.
The roof idea came from an unexpected source. The heritage officer proposed Corten steel as a contemporary contrast to the clay tiles. Rendel says the practice had used the material often in recent projects, so the team ran with the suggestion. The result is a roof of flat metal sheets with crisp edges. It stands against the soft, sagging line of the original handmade tiles.
Detail at the edge of the steel roof barn conversion
The practice’s attention to detail shows most clearly at the eaves. A recessed gutter sits beneath the roof edge. Water collects in laser-cut slots that run around the perimeter of the Corten steel, then drains into the hidden gutter. Below the roof, the gutters and downpipes are dark zinc. The colour blends them with the black stained larch cladding on the extension.
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The listed barn extension is a timber frame, echoing the construction of the original barn. Scott Partnership, which built the frame, left the carpentry fully visible. Rafters, ridge, hips and collar ties all remain exposed. Large sliding glass doors open the space to the garden. A single slender square column, rotated 45 degrees to the other timbers, supports the ring beam where the span meets the glass.
The new block still reads as a distinct structure. A glazed link separates it from the old barn, so the two forms stay apart while sharing materials and method. Inside, the client built the kitchen joinery. Its grain and texture follow the roof structure above, so the timber details carry through the room.
Rendel calls this steel roof barn conversion one of the smallest projects the practice has completed. It still demanded close work on the timber connections. The team collaborated with engineers Foster Structures, contractor St Pierre Contractors, the frame makers and the clients. More of the practice’s work is presented at SandyRendel.com.
The project shows how a steel roof barn conversion can give a listed barn a sharp new face without losing its character. The steel roof announces the newer work plainly. The reoriented house now looks out over its land, which was the point of the exercise all along.
Source: wallpaper.com
Frequently asked questions
What material was used for the roof of the Kent barn?
The Kent barn’s new roof is made of Corten steel, laid as flat metal sheets with crisp edges. It contrasts with the soft, sagging line of the original clay tiles.
Who proposed the steel roof for the listed Kent barn?
The heritage officer proposed Corten steel as a contemporary contrast to the original clay tiles. The architects, Sandy Rendel Architects, had used the material often in recent projects, so they adopted the suggestion.
What problem did the 2003 conversion of the Kent barn create?
The 2003 conversion turned the barn inward and closed off its connection to the original farmhouse and entrance yard. As a result, the building lost its link to the garden allocated to the new dwelling.
What was the main goal of the Kent barn redesign?
The main goal was to reorient the house, creating a clearer connection to the outdoor spaces and to the fields to the southwest. This was achieved partly through a new kitchen extension that reshaped the interior of the former barn.
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