Wraxall Yard farm in Dorchester
Clementine Blakemore Architects 

Wraxall Yard farm in Dorchester

Clementine Blakemore Architects 


Located in Dorchester, the county town of Dorset, England, the Wraxall Yard complex, an old farm has been turned into inclusive holiday accommodations and a community space. The London practice led by Clementine Blakemore was commissioned to refurbish the abandoned 19th-century agricultural buildings of stone and brick. The general design included elements adapted to the needs of guests with disabilities of different nature (sight, hearing, and mobility limitations), including wheelchair-friendly circulations and height-adjustable furniture. The constructions have been restored and renovated to form five cottages around a courtyard, retaining the original structures as much as possible. The new birch plywood cladding of the timber roof has been left exposed. The environmental strategy is based on the enclosure of the buildings. By optimizing the structure and applying passive-design measures to get the best natural light and ventilation, the energy and carbon impacts of the buildings’ active systems have been reduced substantially. The existing stone walls are insulated inside with cork.