Projecting into a gently sloping wooded grove, on the edge of the Wylye River water meadows, this small, simple agricultural shelter has to sit as lightly as possible in its idyllic setting. Deep within the root protection zones of six mature protected beech trees, and on a site of considerable ecological, archaeological, heritage, and fluvial floodplain significance, a very simple building brief presented a host of complications.
The sensitivity of the site demanded that no more than three inches of dig out was permitted, and prevented the use of anything more than hand held mechanical plant. An air spade was used to clear only the top few inches of soil, revealing a remarkable intertwined and intricate fibrous root system just below the surface.
