NICK COX ARCHITECTS

Nick Cox Architects was established in 2006 and is based in north Oxfordshire. The practice also has offices in London and Frome, Somerset. The practice specialises in the repair and conservation of historic buildings and the design of new buildings in historic contexts.

Projects - Country Houses

Stables - Sketch perspectives
NCA have recently been appointed to produce a feasibility scheme exploring how studio spaces may be incorporated into the existing storage areas to the rear of the stables.

Ditchley Park, Oxfordshire

Second Floor refurbishment and Stables conversion

Client: The Ditchley Foundation

Listing Status: Main House Listed Grade I, Stables Listed Grade II, Grade II* Listed Park and Garden

Ditchley Park is a former country estate, now owned and run by the Ditchley Foundation, established in 1958 by Sir David Wills. Ditchley Park functions as an internationally recognised conference venue.

The second floor was last refurbished following the formation of the Ditchley Foundation in the late 1950’s. Additional bathrooms were created and partitions introduced which segregate original room areas. The Ditchley Foundation intend to carry out refurbishment works to update interiors and improve the existing layout whilst enhancing the qualities of the existing historic fabric.

The Stables building is currently used as a workshop on the ground floor with a staff flat at first floor level. The conversion to a workshop in the 1950’s has impacted negatively on the existing historic fabric and they are in a poor state of repair. The Ditchley Foundation wanted to explore how the Stables could be converted to incorporate further bedroom areas.

Nick Cox Architects were appointed to put together feasibility studies for both the second floor and stable conversion. Through progressive studies and close communication with the Client and consultants, sensitive schemes were developed for both areas which were successful in gaining Listed Building and Planning consents.

Some of the second floor bedroom areas to the main house have various styles of historic panelling. NCA liaised with a paint specialist and a report was carried out which assessed the dates of the panelling room by room. This provided fundamental research and understanding as to where intervention was felt justified in regard to the historic fabric.

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