Steering away from a well-tested formula of exposed trusses, cathedral height and brick arches, our clients at Barn B looked to achieve a quieter, domestic feel within the grander scale of a derelict agricultural structure. They wanted the barn – one of several sheltering a courtyard high in the South Downs National Park – to become their main living space; their current home is adjacent. The existing flint walls were repaired and upgraded with reclaimed stone, their original breathable construction retained. Inside, glazed and plastered walls divide the space into distinct areas, avoiding barn-conversion cliches in favour of more understated, human-sized proportions.