Cheltenham Corker

This project was created for a retired couple in Cheltenham who needed a replacement for their 1960s breezeblock workshop which needed to be demolished for safety reasons due to its damaged structure and cracked foundations. Responding to the couple's brief asking for sustainability, design, functionality, and entertaining, the new layout for the 11 square metre project not only gives a more sociable layout in the garden by creating a larger patio area for entertaining guests, it also produces a south facing single pitched roof with four solar panels. Together with the additional five panels added to the roof of the adjacent house provide renewable energy for the home and makes the running of the potting shed carbon negative, with the solar panels producing far more energy than the small amount of electricity used for lighting.

The shed’s design creates a stark contrast to the Victorian home. The dark colour of the sustainably sourced cork cladding includes bold pops of blue for the doors & windows, water butt, and seating. The external bench, fabricated from recycled plastic, is positioned to face the garden’s 100-year-old Scots Pine tree and gives a relaxing place to read in the sunshine. Next to the bench an arrowloop sits in the facade which houses a sculpture of Hello Kitty and provides a narrow view through to the house.

In contrast to the former 1960s workshop, the Potting Shed has a cement free construction, using a timber frame sat on top of screwpile foundations. The new raised floor level is made accessible by two stone steps, created using existing paving stones from the garden. With the material palette continuing inside, the Potting Shed has two worktops that sit either side for the couple to have space to pot, tend to seedlings, plus the occasional bit of DIY.