The modern homes hidden inside ancient ruins
20 days ago
- #historic-preservation
- #sustainability
- #architecture
- The Parchment Works in Northamptonshire is a Grade II-listed Victorian house extended with a contemporary design within the ruins of a 17th-century parchment factory.
- Will Gamble Architects designed lightweight, transparent 'boxes' to preserve the historic walls while adding modern living spaces.
- Renovating ruins often costs 30% more than new builds due to structural uncertainties and preservation challenges.
- The Cowshed in Gloucestershire, an 18th-century barn, was transformed into a modern home using timber pods and salvaged original materials.
- Historic England’s Heritage At Risk register lists nearly 5,000 endangered buildings, highlighting the importance of preservation.
- Count Benedikt Bolza has restored 50 abandoned farmhouses on the Reschio Estate in Italy, selling them for over €12mn each.
- A derelict hardware store in Mallorca was converted into a modern four-bedroom townhouse with a pool, listed for €1.72mn.
- Bergmeisterwolf’s South Tyrol holiday home rebuilt a ruined farmhouse’s stone wall traditionally, shielding a new wooden-clad structure.
- Preservation projects blend sustainability with cultural respect, making historic buildings functional for the future.