STUDIO
ILDSJEL

The pod barn research project was an extension of the work originally carried out as part of the Fieldbarn project. The barns and drystone walls of the Yorkshire Dales are a fundamental part of the character of a landscape whose beauty and significance was recognised in 1954 with its designation as a National Park. Field barns are environmental assets of this landscape with the potential to generate direct, as well as indirect economic benefits. The Yorkshire Dales National Park is home to over 6,000 traditional farm buildings, including 4,500 field barns, many of which are in poor condition due to the decline of traditional farming practices and mechanization. Despite repair efforts over the last two decades, limited public funding and the ongoing pressures of agricultural change have left these barns vulnerable. Traditional conservation solutions, like repairing barns as heritage assets or converting them to residential use, face significant challenges. Most barns are in remote, inaccessible locations, and residential conversions could harm both the barns' character and the landscape, adding unwanted infrastructure like roads and parking.

The Fieldbarn Project aimed to provide a sustainable solution that bridges the gap between conservation and conversion. By finding innovative ways to repurpose field barns while preserving their heritage and minimizing landscape impact, the project offers an alternative to traditional approaches. This could help safeguard these barns as vital cultural and landscape assets, supporting the rural economy without compromising the integrity of the National Park.

The project at Lane Ends was a tool to develop this works further and create a working 'prototype' and business model.