THE COMMISSION
From the outset, the brief was clear: any intervention had to serve Moore’s work first. The redevelopment of Sheep Field Barn strengthens its role as a destination within Henry Moore Studios & Gardens, drawing visitors in through a more generous forecourt and creating a clear, welcoming arrival.
THE BIG PICTURE
The project doubles the barn’s usable floor area while halving its running costs. For the first time, it delivers gallery‑grade environmental conditioning alongside purpose‑built workshops, a dedicated school arrival and orientation space, and fully accessible facilities. Together, these enable the building to function simultaneously as a world‑class gallery and a working place of making, bringing more people into close contact with Moore’s work, on his own terms, while setting a benchmark for low‑carbon gallery environments.
ELEGANT FRUGALITY
The design grows directly from Moore’s own resourcefulness across the estate, where buildings were adapted and repurposed to support work over time. We translated this attitude into a guiding principle — Elegant Frugality — finding potential in what already exists. The result is a calm, economical lean‑to extension of quiet formal confidence, sitting low at the northern edge of the barn and nestling into the landscape.
THE BUILDING AS FRAME
Moore’s sculpture is experienced with the whole body, not just the eye. The new building responds by acting as a frame rather than a competitor; enclosing, sheltering and stepping back. Carefully placed views connect the interior to the bronze sculptures and sheep fields beyond, visible from the entrance, stairs, workshops and first‑floor viewing area. Rooflights flood the interior with natural light, echoing the quality Moore sought in his own studios.
The sheep field itself is an active part of the architecture. A new low window in the south elevation frames Sheep Piece, establishing a direct relationship between the learning space and the sculpture beyond. Across the workshops, large windows capture a second key view: Large Reclining Figure on the mound, reinforcing the dialogue between making, landscape and finished work.
MADE FOR MAKING
The learning and engagement spaces are designed to be used hard. Robust, naturally ventilated workshops open onto a covered veranda facing the fields that inspired Moore’s maquettes and drawings, allowing activity to spill outdoors in warmer months. Arrival and orientation spaces for school groups, accessible toilets, lower sinks and integrated storage ensure the building supports a wide range of visitors and abilities. The orientation space also doubles as a lunch space for visiting groups, reinforcing the building’s role as a working educational environment.
Outside, sheep feeding troughs have been repurposed as handwash basins, and a continuous covered external area runs along the west eaves of the extension.
GALLERY FREEDOM
Within the existing barn, the gallery spaces have been upgraded to offer greater curatorial freedom through best‑in‑class environmental control, enabling a wider range of work to be shown. The refurbished ground‑floor gallery will house the first permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and work of Henry Moore at the Studios & Gardens, while the upper gallery supports a changing programme. Acoustic performance has been carefully calibrated so workshops can be in full creative swing without disturbing the quiet of the gallery next door.
A NET ZERO FUTURE
The building forms part of a foundation‑wide commitment to reaching net zero. Steel screw‑pile foundations minimise disturbance and can be unscrewed and reused at the end of the building’s life. A lightweight solid‑timber structure ties old and new together and is designed for future disassembly and reuse. Sheep’s wool insulation, reclaimed timber cladding, a ground‑source heat pump array and roof‑integrated solar panels reduce operational energy demand, while high‑performance rooflights deliver generous daylight with precise environmental control. The result is a resilient, low‑carbon transformation that doubles the building’s capacity to serve the public while halving its running costs.
