Wraxall Yard

by Clementine Blakemore Architects

Client Wraxall Yard

Award RIBA South West and Wessex Award 2024, RIBA South West and Wessex Project Architect of the Year 2024, RIBA National Award 2024, the Stephen Lawrence Prize 2024, and shortlisted for RIBA Client of the Year and RIBA Stirling Prize 2024

Wraxall Yard is a breath of fresh air in the field of accommodation suitable for people with disabilities. A seamless integration of great design and wellbeing, it has transformed a disused Dorset dairy farm into a community space, holiday lets, and an educational smallholding. The architect worked with the Centre for Accessible Environments and talked to disabled people to better understand their needs and wishes. The buildings have been sensitively repaired and the site made accessible through clever manipulation of landscaping, avoiding the need for obvious ramps and handrails.

The project is also part of a wider initiative to improve biodiversity and boost the general public’s engagement with wildlife and farming. A beautifully designed courtyard garden provides spaces for guests to sit outside, secluded from one another by blossoming trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials. Unanimous user comments agree that visiting Wraxall Yard is an emotional experience.

Read the full citation from the RIBA Awards Jury on RIBA Journal.

Contractors Stonewood Builders

Structural Engineers Structure Workshop

Environmental / M&E Engineer Ritchie+Daffin

Landscape Architect Hortus Collective

Quantity Surveyor / Cost Consultant Align Property Consultants

Access Consultant Centre for Accessible Environments

Gross internal area in m² 781.9