Continuing our look back at 25 years of Alex Oliver Associates, we look back today to, perhaps, one of our favourite barn conversions.

By keeping as much of the historic fabric as possible, the converted building still looks and feels like the original, but transformed into comfortable family accommodation.

Our conservation work sees us cross many thresholds, from the humble to the not so humble.

But the great thing about our projects is we get to look round some really interesting listed buildings, from a chocolate box thatched cottage to a castle. These two projects are examples of where we’ve provided strategic early stage advice to potential owners, helping them shape their future plans.

The use of crinkle crankle walls, characterised by their undulating or sinusoidal shape, dates back thousands of years, but the term “crinkle crankle” itself was first used in 1598. These walls are known for their distinctive appearance and also offer structural advantages over straight walls of the same thickness.

Most crinkle crankle walls are made of brick, but we were asked a few years ago to undertake a feasibility study on the restoration of this cob crinkle crankle wall, part of a series of cob and brick crinkle crankles surrounding a walled garden in Wiltshire.

We are lucky to see some very unusual buildings in the course of our conservation work.

You wouldn’t normally expect to find an industrial chimney in the back garden of a mid-1800s country house, but our research discovered an interesting story as to why. The settlement where the house is, was a built for the workers of a lumber mill which was originally steam powered. After three catastrophic fires as a result of embers catching sawdust alight, the chimney was moved further from the engines and into the garden of the mill owner’s house where it remains to this day, now under our watchful eye.

Sometimes working with historic buildings is a puzzle, rarely though is the building itself literally a jigsaw puzzle.

An orangery had stood at this property in the West Country since the Victorian times, however a failed restoration in the 1960s saw the domed timber and glass structure collapse during heavy rain in the mid 1990s. We undertook a feasibility study for a potential purchaser to reinstate the collapsed building using the salvaged timbers.

It's good to be green, but being green shouldn't just be the preserve of new buildings, to really get on top of the problem, every building needs to be looked at carefully to see what can be done. If everybody does something, we'll be able to make a big difference. Even listed buildings can play their part.

We've recently gained planning and listed building consent for a program of restoration and upgrade works on a historic country estate in West Sussex. We have been working closely with Martin Thomas Associates M+E consultants, and a key part of the strategy worked out with them, is to introduce renewable technologies for the site. Here are some illustrations of the strategies to be utilised.

When working in traditional styles of architecture it is important to get things ‘right’. Many different elements need to coalesce correctly for the finished scheme to look comfortable.

Take for example this country house in the North Wessex Downs AONB. Carefully modelling the form of the house by breaking the mass of the building into two forms with different but complimentary looks, rather than simply using the same style of all elevations gives the overall scheme a more interesting aesthetic of contrast that reflects a narrative of development over time.

The application of the Golden Section ratio to plan, elevation and openings of the building ensures comfortable proportions in keeping with traditional forms. Careful selection of materials (reclaimed brick, render and timber windows) allows the building to feel grounded and ‘at home’ on the site from day one.

All of these carefully considered choices add up to a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Our conservation expertise mean we are privileged to get invited to visit some amazing buildings which aren’t open to the public and see ‘through the keyhole’.

Case in point, this Grade I listed castle from the 1840s. We were appointed in an advisory role by potential purchasers to inspect the condition of the building and examine the feasibility of reconstructing a lost orangery building. We often get involved with properties during a purchase or sale and being involved at an early stage allows us to develop a thorough understanding of both the project and the client brief and requirements.

Sometimes things which were never supposed to be seen, reveal themselves during the course of our work on historic buildings. Carefully incorporating these features into our work gives an opportunity to celebrate the inherent beauty of this kind of vernacular detail.

In this case while undertaking conversion works to an historic barn in the Vale of Pewsey, we uncovered a series of roof trusses, which we subsequently exposed and incorporated into the spaces we created within the roofspace. Historic notches from previous configurations add to the narrative of the history of the building and this layer of history is now able to be appreciated, rather than hidden away in a dusty loft.

Our conservation work gives us the opportunity to visit lots of interesting historic structures and, these can range from the humble to the imposing. It is unusual to find that juxtaposition in one project, but here is a hand drawn elevation of a complex of buildings we assessed for a Condition Survey where we found just that.

It is always nice to have a project you can walk to from the office, in this case a scheme for eleven new homes to enable the restoration of a set of Grade II Listed buildings within a Conservation Area as five apartments.

After careful negotiation and working collaboratively with the Local Planning Authority, to overcome planning and conservation officers initial concerns, over a period of sixteen months, we were granted consent by the Planning Committee for a scheme which takes on board and addresses any concerns officers had, provides much needed new housing and secures the future of at risk heritage buildings.

Not all the conservation projects we work on are listed buildings. Some are on properties like this 1930s thatched country house in North Hampshire.

We are pleased to have recently been granted planning permission for a scheme working on this charming thatched building, taking full advantage of the stunning views from the elevated site.

Along with works to the main house, the scheme also includes a swimming pool with terrace and pool house/outdoor dining room, greenhouse and new entrance sequence.

We’re pleased to have recently gained Listed Building Consent for a scheme of repair and maintenance for this Grade II* Listed Queen Anne gentleman’s residence in the North Wessex Downs. Featured in Country Life Magazine, the building dates back to the early 1700s and we are looking forward to things progressing with this interesting project.

We have a passion for old buildings and are lucky enough to work on lots of interesting pieces of historic architecture. We always base our schemes on thorough historic research, such as this report recently completed by our very own Gemma Kingsbury on the former Harris Bacon Factory Social Club in Calne.

We also like to share our knowledge, so we've lodged a copy of the three volumes we produced at the Calne Heritage Centre for future reference by all.