Design for adapting a historic barge from the North of England into a floating workshop, touring the canals of the UK hosting classes and allowing it’s owner a generous making space to build small scale furniture items.

The live-work space is focused around a large open-plan making space with kitchenette cabinetry along one wall, offcuts fuel the wood burner in winter, and openable portholes allow airflow in hotter months. A small bedroom, bathroom and office are separated with doors to keep out dust, and the interior décor is honest to the history of an industrial boat.

In the future this can be easily adapted into a two-bedroom residence, with minimal changes to the structure, with upholstered furnishings softening the utilitarian surroundings. Influenced by our previous work on a small Dutch barge renovation.