Fieldwork Studio

The act of retreat is, at times, essential for creative generation. The practice of leaving the city and heading for nature in search of intellectual, spiritual or artistic clarity is as old as the concept of settlement itself. In this tradition is our Fieldwork Studio, a live-work retreat for use by Piercy&Company and other artists/designers, intended for the fields of Grymsdyke Farm in Buckinghamshire.

The modular cabin is designed to be prefabricated off-site in large sections. Off-grid and self sufficient, the cabin will be powered and heated by Tesla Powerwall Packs recharged by solar panels. Wastewater is treated with a small underground treatment plant and a soakaway. The exterior timber is charred and preserved using the Japanese process of Yakisugi. The resulting blackened timber is immediately reminiscent of the black tar barns found throughout rural Buckinghamshire.

The roof form abstracts a simple agricultural pitched roof: folding it and elongating the roof down to meet the landscape whilst sheltering the walls and entrance. The lifted central ridge houses a second sleeping space above a cooking and storage pod. The cabin is carefully orientated to capture views and sunlight, dramatically reducing the need for artificial lighting and connecting the interior space with the landscape and sky.

Fieldwork Studio is part of an ongoing series of collaborative research projects conducted with Grymsdyke Farm.