Higham Barn
Higham Barn was a redundant Grade II listed agricultural building located within the setting of another Grade II listed property. Cyma Architects were appointed to convert the barn for residential use while carefully preserving its historic character and timber-framed structure.
The conversion involved raising the entire oak frame by 600mm (to 3.6 meters ODN) to protect the sole plate and new floor, and to mitigate flood risk due to a high water table. The client wanted to make the most of the views to the south and west and to open up as much as possible the southeast and southwest elevations. The scheme retained the barn’s original openings wherever possible, minimised structural alterations, and preserved the open character of the central barn space. The design maximised natural light and views to the south and west, while maintaining the agricultural appearance of the building when approached from the northeast.
This sensitive adaptation gave new life to a deteriorating historic structure, blending flood resilience with heritage conservation.
