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New Build House, Powys

This new home was designed to meet the Powys County Council Affordable Housing Eligibility criteria, an affordable housing scheme that supports younger generations to stay in the rural villages and towns where they grew up. Because funds were limited we adopted a fabric first approach, prioritising material choices and construction methods to reduce energy use and future proofing so renewable technologies could be added later. This project was a collaboration with Ty Afal.

Mixed housing development, Bishops Castle, Shropshire

Bid to design a mixed housing development in Bishops Castle, commissioned by the Wrekin Housing Trust and the Bishops Castle & District Community Land Trust. Together with Ty Afal and Huges Architects we put forward a proposal for 10 new semi-attached and detached houses on a small agricultural site in Shropshire. Most important to our design was that the new development foster community, and be of social, economic and environmental value to the local area.

Cars and parking are routed along the outside edges of the site, creating a car free shared area in the middle for allotments and a children’s play area. The houses are modular, constructed offsite, and made up of interchangeable parts so the floor plan and size is flexible and adaptable. We were inspired by Lilac co-housing in Leeds and Hagen Island in the Netherlands.

Southend Farm

Renovation of a 17th Century threshing barn and dairy into a venue that is being used for lots of different things. We used natural materials and traditional methods of construction throughout and were able to get our hands on some exciting materials including hemp batts, Glaster and lime-hemp plaster. I had the pleasure of working with and learning from the many skilled trades and crafts people involved in this project. This project won the Sussex Heritage Trust Commercial Award 2014.

Flint wall repaired and extended Existing rafters Repaired and replaced rafters New Roof to Barn Underfloor heating New floor being polished Kitchen construction Hemp batt insulation New oak cladding Landscaping Insect wall

Plan Arial view Polished floor Dairy building external Dairy building internal Fence design Gate design looking into main lawn Landscaping View throught fence Detail

Blacksmiths Arms

Renovation of a Grade 2 listed pub in a small hamlet in West Sussex. Before the pub was purchased by its new owners it had been shut down, in order to make it viable again the old living quarters upstairs where turned into B&B accommodation. Downstairs the existing rooms were remodelled to make better use of the space and a new kitchen extension was added to the rear (east). The pub garden was also overhauled and is now home to lots of raised beds and some chickens. You can find out more about the pub and their future here.

Portfolio

1930’s Retrofit, Renovation and Extension

This house was built in the 1930’s between the world wars and was in need of some tender love and care. We renovated pretty much everything including the electrics, plumbing and heating system and extended it to the side and the back. The extension was built using a mixture of ICF (insulated concrete formwork) and engineered timber I-beams full filled with Warmcel.

Original house Foundations Me setting out Ground floor construction First floor construction Roof going on Engineered timber I beams Ready to render Green roof in winter Green roof in summer Complete Wall construction detail

Barn Conversion

This is a lovely, understated 18th Century cattle barn that sits on the brow of a hill overlooking the Sussex countryside. It was lying derelict before it was converted into a family home. The conversion was based on Passiv Haus principles and built so that it could be removed and the building returned to its former use if necessary.

Original barn looking west Original barn south elevation South elevation detail Original tiles Existing foundations Designs Detail Repair Roof construction New roof Prep for cladding Almost complete Complete Services

Preston Manor Walled Garden

These drawings formed part of a proposal for a community garden training centre based on the existing footprint of an old green house that used to sit in the grounds of the Preston Manor walled garden in Brighton. The training centre will help teach different community groups, particularly pensioners, how to garden and grow their own vegetables.

Sketch West Elevation Sketch East Elevation Sketch South Elevation Sketch North Elevation Sketch Plan

South elevation West elevation North elevation East elevation

The Brighton Permaculture Trust Strawbale Kitchen and Apple Press

The Brighton Permaculture Trust have just been given a lease on an old derelict tractor shed in Stanmer Park which they would like to turn into a community kitchen, where they will teach people how to cook with local produce, including apples from the orchards they help to manage in the park.

The tractor shed Inside Tractor Shed The Roof The Trusses Proposed Open Proposed Closed Proposed  Elevations Proposed Plan Proposed Site

Meadow Orchard Project

Community self build, education and training centre for the Meadow Orchard Project in North London. This project is being built through a series of construction training courses where volunteers are taught building skills in return for their hard labour!

North elevation South elevation Site Setting out Rammed earth tyre Footing Cob Cob and strawbale Windows Walls complete Roof On Sketch

RESET

This installation was made for an exhibition at the Building Centre, London in collaboration with the charity RESET.

Plan Production Production Installed Installed From outside

I am inspired by the enthusiasm and shared sense of ownership that self build and community lead projects evoke.

Make Space

This project came about at the height of the recession which hit small and independent businesses in Brighton very hard. Many struggled with paying rent and were forced to shut down as they no longer had a base from which to work out of. This project looked into the viability of using the numerous existing empty buildings as locations for temporary rentable workspaces that could be self built and were reusable and recyclable. There’s an animation!

In Situ Anthropomentrics In situ close up 1 In situ close up 2 In situ close up 3 Prototype production Prototype assembly Prototype at Ecobuild Prototype complete

Illustration

I also like to draw, to make things and to screen print.

Tour de Censored

Poster for The Cycle Hub and Saddle Skedaddle to celebrate the Tour de France 2014 grad départ from Yorkshire, exhibited at The Late Shows 2014 Newcastle in the UK.

Original Poster Detail One Detail Two Detail Three Detail Four Detail Five Exhibition

Preston Manor

An illustration for the local community showing what the proposed training centre might look like in use, in collaboration with EarthWise Construction

Illustration Detail One Detail Two Detail Three

Southend Farm

These drawings were used as visuals for Southend Farm to show people what it would look like once work had finished.

Outside Barn & Kitchen The Lawn Inside the Dairy Building Inside the barn

About

Jen Rawlings
ARB registered architect
Working in Sussex and the South East of England

Work

Education

Contact

hello {at} jenrawlings {dot} com

other projects

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