Lee Fox, project architect at BakerBrown Studio, shares lessons from the Bradbury Den project in East Sussex, demonstrating how material reuse, straw bales and locally-sourced earth can be incorporated into a modestly funded education building.

Making the most of available resources

For BakerBrown Studio, the starting point for sustainable construction is to make use of what already exists, whether that means retaining buildings, reusing materials or drawing on natural resources available locally. Lee Fox illustrated this approach through Bradbury Den, a recently completed learning space for Chailey Heritage Foundation in East Sussex, which supports children and young people with complex disabilities. Rather than demolishing an existing open-sided barn, the practice retained the structure and inserted a new learning space within it. Fox described how straw bale construction was selected for the building’s walls, offering low embodied carbon and carbon storage potential while remaining competitive with conventional construction costs.

The project also incorporated earth blocks manufactured by HG Matthews using clay excavated from the site, alongside timber cladding and an adaptable habitat wall designed to encourage engagement with wildlife. Fox highlighted the importance of involving local suppliers and specialist craftspeople, as well as allowing time for training and community workshops within tender documents.

Not every aspect proceeded exactly as originally intended, with changes to materials and detailing required during construction. But the project demonstrates how circular principles and natural materials can be integrated into real buildings, even where budgets, regulations and programme constraints present significant challenges.