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School House
School House
Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom
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School House
Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2025
SIZE
0 sqft - 1000 sqft
BUDGET
$100K - 500K
SCHOOL HOUSE: A Renovation of William Butterfield’s Schoolmaster’s House
Coda Workshop has completed the renovation and extension of a mid-19th-century Schoolmaster’s House in Alvechurch, originally designed by Gothic Revival architect William Butterfield.
Built in the 1850s, the original house showcases Butterfield’s trademark polychrome brickwork and crafted detailing. Though rarely documented, the building shares a design language with Butterfield’s village schools, such as the 1857 Trumpington School House in Cambridge. Research with the Alvechurch Historical Society, The Bromsgrove Society and The Hive Archives uncovered original drawings that shaped the design strategy, allowing the architects to distinguish between the original fabric and later additions.
The project strips away unsympathetic 20th-century alterations to restore architectural clarity, while introducing contemporary elements that enhance light, space and energy performance. A new brick extension takes cues from Butterfield’s decorative masonry, with a frameless corner window framing views of the garden.
The reconfigured plan centres around a former courtyard, now the heart of the home. An original external wall and arched doorway have been revealed, their patina retained as a visible marker of the building’s layered history. Natural stone flooring echoes the courtyard’s original surface.
Other interventions reconnect the building with its past: a blocked arched doorway has been reinstated as the entrance, sheltered by a new canopy that references the former scullery roof. Inside, the chimney in the old scullery, now the entrance hall, exposes a brick arch once used for a copper, now enclosed with weathered copper sheeting.
Material choices balance reference and performance. Brickwork in varied tones complements the polychrome of the existing house, while triple glazing and insulated walls improve thermal efficiency.
The result is both restoration and reimagining: a home that honours Butterfield’s original vision while accommodating contemporary living.
Coda Workshop has completed the renovation and extension of a mid-19th-century Schoolmaster’s House in Alvechurch, originally designed by Gothic Revival architect William Butterfield.
Built in the 1850s, the original house showcases Butterfield’s trademark polychrome brickwork and crafted detailing. Though rarely documented, the building shares a design language with Butterfield’s village schools, such as the 1857 Trumpington School House in Cambridge. Research with the Alvechurch Historical Society, The Bromsgrove Society and The Hive Archives uncovered original drawings that shaped the design strategy, allowing the architects to distinguish between the original fabric and later additions.
The project strips away unsympathetic 20th-century alterations to restore architectural clarity, while introducing contemporary elements that enhance light, space and energy performance. A new brick extension takes cues from Butterfield’s decorative masonry, with a frameless corner window framing views of the garden.
The reconfigured plan centres around a former courtyard, now the heart of the home. An original external wall and arched doorway have been revealed, their patina retained as a visible marker of the building’s layered history. Natural stone flooring echoes the courtyard’s original surface.
Other interventions reconnect the building with its past: a blocked arched doorway has been reinstated as the entrance, sheltered by a new canopy that references the former scullery roof. Inside, the chimney in the old scullery, now the entrance hall, exposes a brick arch once used for a copper, now enclosed with weathered copper sheeting.
Material choices balance reference and performance. Brickwork in varied tones complements the polychrome of the existing house, while triple glazing and insulated walls improve thermal efficiency.
The result is both restoration and reimagining: a home that honours Butterfield’s original vision while accommodating contemporary living.
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