George Dawes and Oliver Bindloss discuss how the practice’s approach to materiality is being driven by its predominantly rural workload, interest in collaborating with local craftspeople, and desire to produce cost-effective buildings that stand the test of time.
Bindloss Dawes is a young, award-winning practice based in Bruton, South Somerset. Established in 2018, the six-strong team has undertaken projects across the UK, Europe and the Caribbean, including new-build and retrofit houses, community retreats, and creative studios. The practice’s primary aim is both ambitious and commendable: to produce buildings that are beautiful, affordable, and sustainable. Co-founders George Dawes and Oliver Bindloss explain how their interest in rural forms and traditional materials, combined with an unwavering commitment to craft and making, are helping to realise this bold objective.
You seem to be surrounded by materials in the studio. How is the library organised and used?
George Dawes As you can see, we don’t have a defined library that you visit to think about materials and samples – they’re all around us on shelves and on our desks. This means that they are close to hand; they’re connected to us. Being surrounded by materials helps us to engage with them in a more direct way, sparking ideas, reminding us of products we’ve used in the past, and encouraging surprising and unexpected connections.
Oliver Bindloss The ‘on-show’ nature of the materials also means that it’s very easy for clients to pick up a nice sample, or see something which fires their imagination.
Do you have to constantly curate the library to stop it getting too big?
Oliver Bindloss We had a sort out before moving into the new studio six months ago. As a rule, we try not to order too many samples – only the things we really like and have a realistic chance of using. It’s also important to know what you’ve got, in terms of who the manufacturer or supplier is. This information can all too easily get lost when you have lots of individual material samples lying around.
Horsehair and nylon fabric from John Boyd Textiles. “We believe that this locally-made textile comes from the UK’s only producer still using horsehair as part of the manufacturing process. The product combines nylon with horsehair for added durability, and comes in widths of around 600mm, which is the typical length of a horse’s tail!”
How do approach materials from a design perspective?
Oliver Bindloss We think about materiality from the very start of our projects, and it tends to encompass everything from the method(s) of construction used, to the cladding, to the built elements you don’t even see. One of the biggest differences from working in London to working in the countryside, is that there are generally four elevations to consider, rather than simply a street and/or garden façade. So there’s a lot of wall area to contend with and openings to design around, which leads us to question, ‘what’s a good roof material?’, ‘what’s a good wall material?’, and ‘how can we better articulate them?’.
George Dawes Construction methodology is particularly relevant to cost and sustainability. It’s crucial to know how a wall or a roof is going to be built and what it’s made from, even though these elements are generally hidden from view.
Quadcore composite roof panel and integrated rooflight from Kingspan. “We specified this high-performance and cost-effective roof system for our studio. It is structurally efficient requiring no intermediary supports and has a pleasing industrial aesthetic with fully integrated rooflights and a choice of muted colours.”
Is this approach driving you towards more sustainable methods of construction, such as SIPs or the use of engineered timber?
Oliver Bindloss Yes. We’ve just completed a house using SIPs and really liked the approach. It’s an excellent way of making the design phase more efficient, with regards to the computer model/fabrication interface, and of speeding up the construction process. Overall, it’s an efficient, low-cost way of building, even though there are environmental questions over the use of rigid foam insulation. Perhaps this element could be replaced with a cellulose fibre product in future projects. One caveat for us, is that some SIP constructions offer a building lifespan of 65 years, which doesn’t feel particularly efficient in terms of longevity. Furthermore, if the breather membrane leaks, then the timber frame will rot fairly quickly. For this reason, it’s worth beefing up the detail design and specification of this element.
How does the practice’s interest in vernacular or rural architecture and its reappropriation inform issues of cost and materiality?
George Dawes When we first set up practice in Somerset, after previously working
in London, we quickly understood that lower land values in rural communities required us to think harder about low-cost construction. It demanded a more pragmatic approach and a suspicion of anything superfluous or ‘over designed’. Our interest in vernacular architecture stems more from agricultural structures than arts and crafts buildings, for reasons of cost, ease of construction, functionality, and ubiquity. Barns seem appropriate to their context in terms of their shape, massing and materiality.
Oliver Bindloss There is a toughness to them, and in many cases they represent an aggregation of ad-hoc materials and additions that are anti-architectural, but also visually appealing and somehow appropriate.
Carved walnut panel from Forest + Found. “This beautiful hand-carved timber panel has been designed for the bar of a restaurant we are currently working on. Established by artists Max Bainbridge and Abigail Booth, Forest + Found is a local studio collective that specialises in material experimentation and collaboration.”
Does the barn paradigm give you more or less freedom with your material choices?
Oliver Bindloss One of things we avoid is putting a lot of different materials together. The practice tries to keep the material palette calm, limited, and above all suitable for the project. Barns are usually made from one or two materials, such as timber or corrugated steel, and there is richness to this apparent simplicity.
Is context a strong driver in terms of material choice?
Oliver Bindloss Context here in Somerset could be an extension to a listed building, so you might be working with stone of some kind. At other times, the project might be set within the landscape, so you’ve got woodland, or a hedge, or natural grasses to consider in terms of how the building addresses its surroundings. Context is always crucial.
George Dawes New buildings set within villages or open countryside require more contextual sensitivity than urban settings. The city expects change and celebrates difference, and the density and variety of the built environment can accommodate this. The countryside is embedded in neighbourhood and continuity, as well as the seasonal fluctuations of the land and those who work it. That’s not to say we endorse traditionalism or pastiche, but we are mindful not to impose change for change’s sake.
Our first rural open-site project, UpBrook House in Wiltshire, was terrifying in a way, because we were so used to responding to the urban context. But this led us to explore fundamental ideas relating to containment, exposure, and views in and out. From our perspective, rural architecture needs to be sensitive, as well as innovative. This also means using materials and forms that are locally relevant and weather well with age. We want our buildings to improve over time, further embedding themselves into the natural landscape.
Oliver Bindloss Our recently completed extension to Old School House in Pitcombe is a good example of this. We chose English sweet chestnut cladding, which has a similar colour to the existing stone house and nearby church, but will also visually soften and silver over time. Up close, the cladding reveals itself as horizontally slatted on the ground floor and vertically slatted on the first floor and roof. In some respects, the practice is not searching for new materials – rather it’s looking to use traditional materials in new or unusual ways.
Zinc roofing from Rheinzink. “We like the highly designed and crafted nature of standing seam zinc roofs. Our preference is for the natural finish because it is the most cost- effective option and it dulls to a pleasing muted grey tone.”
Why were you drawn to sweet chestnut for both Old School House and the Autobarn project?
Oliver Bindloss It’s dimensionally stable and UK-sourced, which is great. Unfortunately, it’s not the cheapest timber, but it is durable and will last longer than other wood species when used as a cladding material.
George Dawes It also comes in lengths of up to five metres, which was ideal for the Old School roof in terms of avoiding visual breaks. What we didn’t know and was a surprise initially, is that the wood releases tannins when first exposed to the elements. I find that the more I practice in the countryside, the less I mind about materials weathering and going their own course. Not trying to control things too much can certainly be a more relaxing way to design, while also providing richer and more interesting results.
Oliver Bindloss Everyone likes a rubbed corner, a patinated handrail, or a worn threshold. It’s about the building looking better in ten years’ time than the day it was finished. This is something that we aspire to, and that’s why we like materials that last a long time and age beautifully.
Leather sample from Bill Amberg Studio. “The practice is currently collaborating with local leatherworker Bill Amberg to produce a bespoke entrance screen for a restaurant project in Bruton. While working with Bill we discovered that leather has a close connection to wood through the timber tannins used to give it its rich distinctive colour.”
How much importance do you place on sustainability in terms of material selection?
Oliver Bindloss I think that if you let sustainability drive everything, there’s a danger of getting pulled off course. We always come back to the idea of long life, loose fit, and low energy. Of these, the long-life value is most often forgotten, but it’s incredibly important from an environmental viewpoint.
George Dawes It’s partly about durability and detailing so the elements don’t get in, but it’s also about weathering so the project doesn’t look terrible in 20 years’ time and people want to tear it down. It may sound obvious, but producing well designed buildings that people like is a recipe for longevity and therefore environmental success.
Do you strive to use locally-sourced materials where possible and does this inform the design process?
Oliver Bindloss For us, it’s more about working with local craftspeople than using locally-sourced materials. Somerset is home to an amazing array of skilled workers from furnituremakers and leatherworkers to woodworkers and metalworkers. While the materials they work with may not be local, they represent an incredible local resource.
George Dawes It comes back to the earlier point about not trying to control things too much. If you’re collaborating with someone who specialises in working with leather, you shouldn’t impose your design on them. They have the expertise, so you should be more adaptive and ask, ‘how would approach this element?’. It not only makes the design process more collaborative, but also more enjoyable and rewarding for everyone involved.
Oliver Bindloss From my perspective, there are two different types of craftspeople. There’s someone who adds a layer of design, and then there’s the person who makes something. Sometimes the practice is working with skilled tradespeople on site, such as a zinc roofers, while at other times it is working with a craftsperson, such as a leatherworker, who can exert a strong influence over a key aspect of the design.
Sweet chestnut rainscreen cladding panel from English Woodlands Timber. “We’ve used chestnut cladding for several local projects. Indigenous to the UK, it is knot-free, highly stable, long-lasting, self-preserving and available in lengths up to five metres.”
What materials have you found recently that have sparked your interest?
Oliver Bindloss Earthen flooring! We are currently working on a historic pub, which is being converted into a restaurant. The existing floor is made of lime and clinker, which can’t be removed for fear of undermining the building’s shallow foundations. Our solution is to lay a earthen floor, made from clay and straw, over the historic covering. The floor we’ve chosen incorporates a plum-coloured dye, hemp (for strength and consistency), and a waxed finish. In addition to being breathable, it has a lovely acoustic quality, dampening reverberation times and providing a softness that is really useful for a restaurant.
George Dawes The floor is mixed and laid by hand (around 25mm thick), and then takes about three weeks to dry. It is then oiled with linseed oil before finally being waxed. We’re really excited to see how it turns out!
Other materials that have caught our interest lately include chestnut cladding (for the reasons we spoke about earlier) and standing seam zinc roofing, which can be elegantly detailed, expertly crafted, and if specified in a natural finish (the cheapest option) dulls to a beautiful muted grey colour.
Earthen floor from Jeffrey the Natural Builder. “The practice is using this ancient yet still relevant flooring product for the conversion of a 16th century pub into a restaurant. It has a wonderful tactile quality, is environmentally friendly, and provides excellent sound deadening qualities, which are perfect for a busy restaurant.”
Are there specific ‘low-cost’ materials that appeal to the practice?
George Dawes It’s typically the things that you can’t see, such as the structural frame and the foundations, where money can be saved. It’s a no-brainer to make these things as cost-effective and as sustainable as possible.
Oliver Bindloss Excessively deep concrete foundations are a real hinderance. We want efficient foundations, and efficient timber frames, even if this means incorporating steel elements where required. This allows us to spend money on the things that really matter.
George Dawes We’re currently interested in using screw-pile foundations, which are low cost and allow us to touch the ground lightly. In terms of ‘visible’ low-cost materials, we particularly like corrugated metal cladding for its contextual appropriateness; Kingspan or Tata Steel composite roof systems for their thermal performance, speed of installation, and ability to be overclad if required; and Velfac triple-glazed doors and windows for their thermal performance and all-round quality.
Concrete lintel from Allen Concrete. “There is something architecturally satisfying about a precast concrete lintel in terms of its engineering simplicity, ‘off-the- shelf’ availability, and lack of pretension. This cut example reveals some of the material’s varied aggregates and textures which make it so appealing.”
Which materials do you find yourself returning to and why?
George Dawes We love working with concrete, especially the unexpected process of casting insitu. The material has a monolithic permanence, which anchors the building. It is also brilliant at moderating temperature throughout the year.
Oliver Bindloss Concrete sometimes gets bad press for its sustainability, but we think that if it’s well used and is part of a long-life, loose-fit structure, its durability can offset this. The practice is interested in using different additives and aggregates to alter the concrete mix, and is currently exploring a half-concrete half-earthen mix for a domestic project in Hampshire.
