29 April 2022 By Fran Williams. Photography by Ellie Walpole
Submitted for AJ Small Projects 2022, the new reception, office and drying shed for Whitney Sawmills in Hereford use timber from the mill itself
Mowat & Company has reused timber from old sheds on the site of the existing sawmill in Herefordshire, on the banks of the River Wye, to create new front-of-house facilities for the sawmill.
A large new window creates transparency between staff and customers while there is now space to view samples and sawing techniques to help customers choose the right British wood for their projects.
Inspired by client WH Timber, the scheme is clad in larch, finished in black. A chestnut column, cut directly from adjacent woodland, is another reminder of where the sawn timber comes from.
An oak bench under a sheltered porch has been designed to encourage conversation while timber is being loaded up. Douglas fir has been used for the decking and ramp and windows and doors in oak. A burr oak counter demonstrates unusual decorative timbers while smooth desktops show how sycamore joinery can be used without bumpy grain.
In addition, the site’s air drying shed has been refurbished to match the visitor centre. It has been designed with two separate zones for the timber to dry, allowing the sawmill to expand its business.
All of the wood products used in the scheme were sourced from the sawmill. The reception/office is heated with a log-burning fire using scrap wood from the mill.
We discovered Woodland Heritage through its eye-opening three-day Woodland to Workshop course at Whitney Sawmills. Immediately our eyes were opened to a wealth of knowledge and possibilities. Each year one of our team now attends.
When we were invited to find imaginative new designs for the old sawmill buildings, the chance to help the charity, and work with some of the UK’s finest, kindest and wisest wood Gurus was too good to miss.
We set out to bring our retrofit experience and their traditional knowledge into a coherent whole. Different species are used for different uses. Different sawing techniques and dimensions are used in different locations. Different seals and varnishes are used when their use and protection vary. The resulting retrofit buildings are rugged and fit for another 30 years but, most importantly, give each customer a glimpse of the value of British woods and how they might use them better.
The designer on the project, Orlando Hill, ensured the buildings were made with local and sustainably sourced materials. He said: 'The design draws on the pitched roof form of the existing steel storage shed, which was filled in over time to create a cold and draughty saw maintenance room. We were able to reline this with sheep’s wool insulation and natural plaster which is articulated with a new oak dado and integrated shelving drawing from shaker references. The row of external splayed steel columns is continued with a new timber column felled directly from the neighbouring forest.' Alex Mowat, founding director, Mowat & Company
In 2020 The board of directors of Whitney Sawmills committed to a programme of redeveloping the the sawmill.
The overall aim was to increase the sawing and production capabilities, build a new larger office that also worked as a customer reception and improved our profile, at the same time rationalising the layout of the mill to separate sales and operations.
Mowat & Company took on this challenge and produced a build that has delivered office and storage facilities that we can be proud of. The office is built as part of one of the industrial sheds and so seems to grow out of the mill itself. The concept is crisp and modern but firmly based on the timber with which we ply our trade as well using a chestnut tree as a roof support that connects us and our industry directly to the woodlands itself. The office is a celebration of wood and has been a huge hit with all customers, visitors and staff.
From concept to delivery, Alex and Orlando have had a very clear vision for the project, but at the same time understood the clients’ needs and preferences to produce an end result that we as a company are rightly proud of but will also be a huge benefit in raising our profile and image. Dermot Doyne, sawmill manager, WH Timber
Start on site May 2021 Completion date March 2022 Gross internal floor area Drying shed: 340m², reception and office: 43m² Form of contract or procurement route JCT Minor Works Construction cost £90,505 (drying shed), £59,299 (reception and office) Construction cost per m2 £266 (drying shed), £1,389 (reception and office) Architect Mowat & Company Client WH Timber Limited Approved building inspector Cook Brown Building Control Main contractor Smith Builders CAD software used Vectorworks
All carbon emissions are associated with the projected electricity use only (lighting and hot water). Space heating is provided by a boiler/stove that is fuelled by biomass from waste produced on site.
Design life 30 years Annual CO2 emissions 3.83 kgCO2eq/m2 (reception and office)
Tags herefordshire Mowat & Company sawmill
Great to see small scale rural industrial buildings that aren’t being ‘repurposed’ for air b’n’b.
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