Woonerf, Cothen
“It begins not with the buildings, but with the space between them. The central courtyard gathers what cannot be built: atmosphere and community.”
- B2A Founding Partner, Louise Bjørk
Siteplan
Project: Housing / Renovation / Transformation / Masterplan
Client: Private
Location: Cothen
Year: 2021-ongoing
Size masterplan: 7750m2 (woonerf)
Size renovation and extension of existing farm: 520m2
Size new build homes: 460m2
Project phases: Masterplan, SO, VO, DO and BA
(Building permission for existing farm and building permission for two new family homes)
Existing starting point (farmhouse with attached stables) to a conversion of a courtyard development creating 4 new family homes
Transformation of existing farmhouse
View of the central courtyard
Description
The masterplan reimagines the existing farmstead as a cohesive rural ensemble organized around a shared woonerf—a living courtyard that fosters both community interaction and a strong connection to the surrounding landscape. The proposal introduces two new barn-style houses, a hay barrack, and a large outbuilding, while transforming the existing farmhouse and former agricultural structures into contemporary single-family dwellings.
The composition carefully arranges the new volumes around the erf, framing views and establishing strong visual relationships with the landscape. This strategic positioning enhances both orientation and spatial depth, reinforcing a sense of enclosure while maintaining openness toward the surrounding fields.
At the heart of the design lies the central courtyard, formed on the site of former stables and outbuildings. This shared outdoor space becomes the organizing element of the entire ensemble, defining a balance between collective life and private dwelling.
The existing farmhouse is preserved as the primary architectural anchor of the site. Its historical and spatial significance is emphasized through a design strategy in which all new structures derive formal cues from it. Roof pitches, ridge orientations, and proportional relationships reference the original building, ensuring continuity across old and new.
Materiality further strengthens this dialogue. The new volumes are clad in dark-stained timber and brick tiles, referencing traditional barn typologies of the region while giving the ensemble a contemporary, robust character. Unity is reinforced through consistent detailing and the introduction of landscape elements such as decking, raised platforms, hedges, and structured planting beds, which articulate transitions between public and private zones.
Although the buildings share a unified architectural language, each dwelling is individually tailored to its occupants. Variations in spatial layout ensure privacy where needed, while maintaining visual connections to both the courtyard and the wider landscape.
The result is a layered composition in which historical traces and contemporary interventions coexist. The transformation of former agricultural zoning into residential use allows for a new interpretation of the rural typology—robust, contextually grounded volumes that respect the scale and character of the farmyard while supporting modern ways of living.
The demolition of former attached stables and industrial outbuildings has created space for this renewed spatial order, resulting in a carefully planned ensemble of four family homes organized around a shared rural heart.