Cobham Dairy Building, Kent Architecture, Best New Southern English Property Project

Cobham Dairy Building in Kent

4 May 2022

Seven projects have been awarded Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Southeast Awards.

Cobham Dairy, Cobham Park, Kent, south east England, UK

Design: Purcell Architecture Ltd.

photo : John Miller

Cobham Dairy, Kent

Jury Report

James Wyatt’s Cobham Dairy had sat derelict in Humphrey Repton’s Cobham Park landscape for over a century before the Landmark Trust stepped in to save it. Their brief to transform this Georgian ‘Gothick’ building into a one-bedroom holiday let was straightforward, but the complexity lay in adapting a Grade II* listed building to provide modern levels of comfort whilst being sensitive to the original design; and complying with ecological, archaeological, and planning requirements.

photo : John Miller

Following an extensive campaign of historical research and conceptual design between 2015 and 2018, Purcell produced a restoration that provided the building with a new kitchen, WC, bedroom/bathroom and boiler room – but the star of the show is the restored double-height dairy space. Now a sitting room and dining room, this space is enlivened by the play of light through the stained glass windows of the clerestory, and by views through the colonnade towards the buildings of Cobham Park – now a school.

photo : John Miller

Great care has been taken, including a new copper roof for out-of-sight areas, and the restoration of the building’s unusual painted slate cladding – thought to have been designed originally to keep the dairy cool. Such commitment is rare and to be celebrated, especially as it has resulted in a building that can now be enjoyed by a wider public.

photograph : John Miller

RIBA region: Southeast
Architect practice: Purcell Architecture Ltd.
Date of completion: 10 2019
Date of occupation: 01 2020
Client company name: The Landmark Trust
Project city/town: Kent
Gross internal area: 81.00 m²
Net internal area: 71.00 m²
Contractor company name: Colman Contractors

photograph : John Miller

Consultants

Structural Engineers: The Morton Partnership
Quantity Surveyor / Cost Consultant: Huntley Cartwright
Project Management: Huntley Cartwright
Archaeologist: Archaeology Southeast

Awards

• RIBA Regional Award
• Regional Conservation Award
• Regional Award Short List

Purcell

2022 RIBA Southeast Award Winners

2022 RIBA Southeast Award winners

Cobham Dairy Building Kent – 2022 RIBA Southeast Award winners images / information received 040522