Wolverton Folly

Working from home and home offices in the garden are the new norm but Nicholas Coleridge, our client at Wolverton Folly, was well ahead of his time when he approached us in 2016 for a design of a building that would function as an office and also as a family garden building. It is always exciting working with the client to understand their requirements and dreams, and this small building was no exception.

Wolverton Folly is a wonderful example of how a client’s inspiration can help develop and shape a build whilst also giving our practice the opportunity to thoroughly detail the building into a Georgian form. Because the building was so compact, the greatest attention and skill was paid to each and every detail right down to the complex setting out of each brick course for the bricklayers. Together with the craftsmanship of the traditional local builder this beautiful building won the Craftsman Category at the brick awards and the New Build category at the Georgian group awards 2021.

Externally, the folly is built with 2inch Tudor bricks with a lime mortar joint giving a lighter appearance overall. In contrast to the brick work there are stone architraves, ball finials and strings. This stone to the windows on the first floor was designed with the gothic arches topped with acanthus leaf finials. The front door has the client’s coat of arms above.

Internally, on the ground floor, there is the entrance hall, a small kitchen and WC. The first floor contains a very comfortable study/sitting room with stairs leading up to an octagonal turret leading out to the roof terrace.