Charles Gillespie Architecture completes Somerset house with wildlife-friendly colonnade

Oblique view along the length of the house showing the row of cylindrical concrete columns and landscaped garden

British studio Charles Gillespie Architecture has completed The Linhay, a family house in rural Somerset wrapped by a deep concrete colonnade that provides sheltered nesting spaces for birds.

Designed by the studio's founder Charles Gillespie for himself and his young family, the house draws on the traditional linhay – an agricultural barn found across Somerset and Devon with a distinctive open-fronted form.

Front elevation of the two-storey house with a pitched roof, concrete colonnade, timber facade and planting in the foreground — The Linhay is located on a former farmstead in rural Somerset

Rather than recreating the historic building type, the studio translated its defining characteristics into a full-length colonnade formed from precast concrete columns.

Behind this row of precast concrete columns is a sheltered terrace, which leads directly to main living spaces through large glazed openings. The recessed facade blocks high summer sun and admits lower winter light.

Corner view of the house showing cylindrical concrete columns, timber cladding, stone walls and planting around the sheltered terrace — The house features a full-length colonnade formed from precast concrete columns

The cylindrical columns reference the historic linhay barns, where rounded supports made it easier for livestock to pass through the open-fronted structures, while giving the facade a regular rhythm.

Bird and bat boxes, bee bricks and nesting spaces are integrated into this area, allowing it to double as habitat for local wildlife.

"The colonnade gives the house its identity, controls sunlight, extends the living space and provides shelter for wildlife," Gillespie told Dezeen.

"Environmental performance, biodiversity and architectural character do not need to be separate ambitions."

Side view of the farmhouse-style home with pale stone walls, timber cladding and a pitched roof surrounded by long grasses — The colonnade shades the south-facing facade while creating a sheltered terrace

Gillespie recalled that the distinctive structure initially sparked some confusion among neighbours during construction.

"The precast colonnade was erected quite early during the build," Gillespie said. "I'd say our neighbours had a bit of a shock, perhaps with the fear we were building some kind of Greek revival building in the middle of a field!"

The two-storey home sits on West Farm in Babcary as part of an intergenerational development that also includes Highlands, a second house for Gillespie's parents.

Together, the buildings replace a collection of former agricultural outbuildings while allowing three generations of the same family to live independently on the same site.

View across meadow grasses towards the rear of the house, showing its pitched roof, stone walls and lower wing extending into the landscape — The family home draws on the form of a traditional linhay barn

Gillespie described the arrangement as a "family campus", with the two houses connected by shared gardens and daily routines while remaining separate homes.

From the approach, the Linhay resembles a deliberately simple pitched-roof farmhouse combining pale stone with vertical timber cladding.

A lower wing with an intensive green roof extends into the former farmyard, creating the impression that part of the surrounding field has been folded over the building.

Inside, the home is organised around an open-plan kitchen, dining and play space that projects into the garden, giving it views in three directions across meadow planting and surrounding fields.

Rear elevation of the house with large glazed openings facing meadow planting and the surrounding landscape — The lower wing is bordered by meadow planting and a lawn

Exposed timber ceiling beams, lime-plastered walls, polished concrete floors and cherry timber joinery create a restrained material palette, punctuated by a pink pigmented concrete staircase.

Timber was sourced from the nearby Stourhead estate, while the stone came from a quarry seven miles from the site.

Courtyard beside the house with stone walls, timber cladding, sliding glazed doors and outdoor dining furniture — Stone from a nearby quarry and locally sourced timber were used throughout the project

Around the house, meadow planting, an orchard and pollinator-friendly species replace areas of former hardstanding.

The green roof and surrounding planting are intended to strengthen biodiversity across the farmstead.

Open-plan kitchen and dining space with exposed timber beams, cherry cabinetry, polished concrete floor and a large dining table — The open-plan kitchen features exposed timber ceiling beams and cherry joinery

The all-electric home combines passive environmental strategies with an air-source heat pump, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery and rooftop photovoltaic panels.

Charles Gillespie Architecture was founded by Gillespie in 2024 in Castle Cary, Somerset. The studio focuses on homes and rural projects, with The Linhay and the neighbouring Highlands house among its first completed works.

Other British houses recently featured on Dezeen include the brick-clad Skylark home, for which House of EM referenced mid-century design principles, and Westview Cottage in Dungeness, which Hollaway Studio completed with a monochrome palette.

The photography is by Dave Watts.

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