Autobarn by Bindloss Dawes – A Contemporary Timber Garage and Workshop for Classic Cars

Nestled within the grounds of a Grade-II listed 18th-century estate in Somerset, United Kingdom, the Autobarn by Bindloss Dawes Architects is an elegant architectural intervention designed to house a client’s collection of classic cars. Completed in 2022, this 165 m² garage and workshop project blends traditional rural aesthetics with modern craftsmanship, creating a timeless addition to the historic property.

A Flexible Long-Life, Loose-Fit Concept

The design was envisioned with adaptability at its core. Bindloss Dawes Architects developed a long-life, loose-fit concept, ensuring the building could serve multiple purposes throughout its lifespan. While initially designed as a five-bay garage and workshop, its layout and material choices allow for future transformation into alternative uses, adding both longevity and value.

Architectural Form and Spatial Design

The Autobarn is conceived as two distinct yet harmonious pitched volumes arranged in an L-shaped plan. A long, slender garage wing intersects with a taller, more robust workshop. Overhead glazing runs along the ridge of the pitched roofs, filling both volumes with abundant daylight. This design not only enhances functionality but also creates an uplifting atmosphere for showcasing classic vehicles.

The five-bay garage provides dedicated spaces for cars, while the mechanic’s workshop offers generous height and utility. A mezzanine study overlooks the workshop, accessed via timber stairs with concealed storage beneath. The workshop perimeter incorporates a timber tool store, washbasin, and large windows framing views of the leafy gardens beyond, merging utility with serene natural connections.

Innovative Sliding Facade System

One of the most striking architectural features is the complex arrangement of sliding doors designed for security, climate control, and flexible access.

• The main entrance, a 7-meter-wide opening, features a floor-to-ceiling sliding timber screen that glides effortlessly beyond the foundation.
• A two-leaf sliding glass door adds another protective layer, while a steel security door mechanically retracts along the southwestern wall.

This three-tiered door system showcases meticulous precision, engineering tolerances, and craftsmanship, enabling the facade to adapt seamlessly between openness and protection.

Materiality and Craftsmanship

The material palette is rooted in pragmatism, sustainability, and contextual sensitivity, echoing the agricultural barnsof Somerset.

• Sweet chestnut cladding provides a natural warmth, designed to weather gracefully into a silver patina.
• Zinc roofing with concealed gutters ensures durability and low maintenance.
• Exposed steel structures articulate each car bay, celebrating the building’s construction rather than concealing it.
• In-situ concrete plinths and floors provide resilience for heavy use.
• Recycled wood strand acoustic boards enhance sound control while adding texture.

A particularly inventive detail is the open-lattice cladding, which reduces timber usage by 30% while producing dynamic patterns of light and shadow—daylight dapples the garage during the day, while at night, interior light spills softly into the landscape.

Interior Ambience and Functionality

The garage interior feels calm, minimalist, and almost gallery-like—an appropriate backdrop for the collection of vintage automobiles. In contrast, the workshop space is deliberately tougher, with robust finishes such as concrete wainscoting to withstand mechanical work.

The building is equipped with underfloor heating powered by an Air Source Heat Pump, with additional first-fix services hidden behind wall panels to allow for future programmatic changes. This foresight makes the Autobarn a future-ready structure with both flexibility and sustainability in mind.

A Modern Barn Inspired by Tradition

Drawing from the vernacular forms of rural barns, Bindloss Dawes reinterprets agricultural efficiency into a refined, contemporary architectural language. The timber, steel, and concrete palette balances modern precision with natural weathering, grounding the Autobarn in its Somerset countryside setting while delivering a functional, future-adaptable design.

All the photographs are works of Building Narratives