Studio Weave founder Je Ahn's converted barn home on the Isle of Wight

South Barn began with an unusual opportunity: Je Ahn, founder of Studio Weave, bought an existing barn on a working farm near Cowes on the Isle of Wight and became his own client. He told Wallpaper* the project was about flexibility, comfort and looseness, and having the confidence to be relaxed about the result. The budget was tight, but being both architect and client let him respond quickly to the site, prices and what local builders could manage.

The building is small, about 158 sq m, and more than 50 years old. The team kept much of the original material, often left exposed and repaired only enough to make it liveable, so the house feels as though it has always stood there. Ahn calls the approach "deep reuse": finding materials on site and putting them back to work for both their story and their usefulness.

Inside, a big open-plan kitchen and living room with large windows is the heart of the house, with a short corridor leading to three bedrooms. The careful joinery and craftwork were made with Mike at Imphouse, and the landscape was shaped with Tom Massey Studio.

This is a private home, so there's nothing to visit, but it's a good read for anyone weighing up an agricultural conversion and wondering how little they might need to change.

Our summary of a story from Wallpaper*, published 11 October 2026. Read the original

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