English Castle Preserves Historic Architecture And Incorporates Contemporary Design

This historic castle house developed by the UK’;s Witherford Watson Mann Architects right here in Astley, England is not so a lot a meeting of old and new, as it is a lesson in total opposites. This one particular-of-a-kind countryside house, completed in 2012, was the recipient of the 2013 RIBA Stirling Prize, an award effectively deserved if you ask us. The rustic house style is a stark contrast between medieval and modern – visible in the preserved cobblestone walls of the Tudor and Jacobean architecture, versus the clean new brick and exposed timber frames. These components represent opposite ends of the spectrum, landing somewhere in between castle and farmhouse with a modern day twist. Here’;s how the architects breathed new life into this ancient web site.

From the architects, “Astley is a remote site with rich historic resonance: a moated castle, lake, church and the ghost of pleasure gardens are grouped around a shallow ridge. Soon after decades of decline and decay, the project opens this private estate for public access by way of a network of new pathways and salvages the ruins of the castle, binding them into a vivid new property for the Landmark Trust.”

The old and new architecture are juxtaposed side by side, every single one particular accentuating and strengthening its counterpart. The dilapidated old structure was left in its ragged kind, with the new walls taking shape about the ruins, so to speak.

The castle’;s original Tudor and Jacobean wings had been left intact (as significantly as they were, anyway) and are now employed as outdoor rooms. The open ceiling is an understated yet spectacular feature!

Interiors are a refreshing take on history and contemporary living. The uneven stone tiled floors scream rustic charm, complemented by the weathered brick walls in the foreground, supported by the new construction bringing up the rear. The complex woodwork of the staircase and ceiling showcase the art of carpentry in conjunction with architecture and creativity.

The living region has a warm, countrified aesthetic with views of the historic church just outdoors. The wood-burning stove is a excellent focal point, surrounded by contemporary but comfortable furnishings befitting of a accurate “home.”

Huge windows flood this brick-enclosed space with natural light and green scenery of the surrounding countryside.

“At the dining table, you look out from twelfth and 21st century building to 15th and 17th century walls – the dialogue across the centuries frames conversations in between pals,” according to Witherford Watson Mann Architects.

Down the staircase, the reduced ground level has a a lot more medieval really feel to it, with a dark and brooding character.The new timber staircase is physically your way to the new upper level, but visually it also ushers you into the new building overhead.

Witherford Watson Mann Architects