The Wool Hall
The Wool Hall stands modestly yet distinctly as a genuine local landmark within Somerset, not only for its idiosyncratic architectural vernacular, but because of its rich creative provenance. Tuckey Design Studio have reinterpreted the hall as a family home and recording studio, restoring the original building and reworking a 1980s extension that previously had little merit.
The sites historic use was integral to the design scheme and a constant reference throughout development. The Wool Hall has been an epicentre of craft, residencies and musical production throughout its lifetime. The Smiths, Annie Lennox, Van Morrison, Tears for Fears and Paul Weller all recorded albums here, to name a few artists that utilised the building during the 80s and 90s. It was fitting therefore that this musical spirit lives on through a new private recording studio adjacent to the main home.
Tuckey Design Studio found the existing series of buildings as an amalgamation of differing eras, styles and scales that had been collaged together, with insulation oversights and thermal bridging. It was imperative that the buildings were unified harmoniously, and overall thermal envelope improved. The strategy for insulation includes a sustainable mixture of lime and cork that lines the interior walls throughout, offering a breathable plane which can be appreciated texturally and aesthetically. Diathonite spray was also utilised in certain areas to retain heat through historic stone walls without losing the character and texture of uneven surfaces. Heating is supplied through a boiler and underfloor heating throughout, with new double glazing retaining this heat and granting the building a fresh set of eyes in which to appreciate the rural context.
As one ascends a sloping drive, the first point of contact is the Grade II listed façade of the Wool Hall itself, dating back to the 16th century. A whimsical masonry stairway weaves up the elevation, framing an arched doorway that bridges the gap between old and new, offering a glimpse into the domestic spaces within. The archway, rubble balustrade and pent-roofed porch are considered of high architectural eminence by historic England.
Stepping into the main entrance gives an immediate impression of the home’s configuration; looking upwards through a three-tier atrium linking upper bedrooms, left into the study and lounge of the extension and right through the open plan kitchen/living area of the original hall. The stairwell is unique; the beating heart through which all spaces converge. Sepal green painted steel trusses adjoin volumes, with canary yellow accents adding a splash of colour to an otherwise deeply textural backdrop. The outdoors can be observed through all three sightlines. In the open-plan kitchen/living room a select choice of materials compose a calming and grand room. Textural plaster walls, green Viroc countertops, a brick fireplace and timber accents accompany windows dating back to the 15th century, the oldest elements of the building. Terrazzo flooring signifies where old partitions used to inhabit, referencing the buildings past and alluding to the narratives of those who once inhabited the space.
The original pitched roof is mirrored by gently receding additions that step back towards a garden, indicating the transition between interventions that have been made over the past century. This gradient of periods also translates in materiality. Restored masonry gives way to red stained timber cladding, a contrasting gable end to its venerable opposite. Unassuming terracotta roof tiles of the 80s extension have been retained and elevated alongside tonally similar new crimson cladding: striking and distinct in contemporary language. The relationship between new and old materials is best illustrated on this elevation, with breezeblock, brick, stone and striking cladding all framing one another around each threshold. Previously the yoga studio at the rear suffered from overheating in summers, so tactical demolition and introduction of intermittent courtyards have introduced cross-ventilation throughout the interiors. Alongside this, lime plasters and breathable insulation improves air quality.
The scheme is orientated in a ‘z’ layout, eventually wrapping round the main contemplative courtyard at the back of the property. Intersecting planes of heritage and modernity can be felt from this vantage looking back on the building. This cluster of elements and angles lends itself to a rich visual tapestry. The angular orientation of the floor plan provides site lines throughout the interior, with a connection between spaces evident even through modest thresholds. This spatial flow is integral to navigating the building, with interior and exterior visual corridors performing as a guiding hand throughout.
