Room in a Productive Garden is a new 150m2 gymnasium for a hotel in Somerset in the grounds of Hadspen House. Conceived in a manner as ‘no building’ – more, a window on to a mature productive garden with as few distractions from the garden as possible. The garden provides food for the hotel, and is an important part of the arrival experience into the gymnasium.
© James Stephenson
The window for the gym forms the entire north wall of the vegetable garden and at 15m wide & 3.3m tall is one of the largest glass panels in the world.
© James Stephenson
The building sits in the garden in the manner of an orangery or greenhouse, of which there are several traditional structures in the adjacent courtyards. Historically, these structures filled an entire (north) wall of a contained vegetable garden.
© James Stephenson
Internally, the space is lined entirely in beech, with all services including lighting and ventilation concealed between the slats. The glass window forms a bay with glass sides, top and seat that frames a clear and immersive view of the garden. Externally, the gym uses stone from the site, crushed and ‘rammed’ into the facing material.
Project Info
Architects: Invisible Studio
Country: United Kingdom
Area: 150 m²
Year: 2019
Photographs: James Stephenson
Contractor: Ken Biggs
Lead Architects: Piers Taylor, Tara Breen
Glass Contractor: Cantifix Ltd
Structure: Hydrock, Tim Macfarlane
Mechanical & Electrical: E3
Anastasia Andreieva is an accomplished Architectural Projects Editor at Arch2O, bringing a unique blend of linguistic expertise and design enthusiasm to the team. Born and raised in Ukraine, she holds a Master’s degree in Languages from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Her deep passion for architecture and visual storytelling led her to transition from translation and editorial roles into the world of design media. With a keen eye for conceptual clarity and narrative structure, Anastasia curates and presents global architectural projects with precision and flair. She is particularly drawn to parametric and digital design, cultural context, and emerging voices in architecture. When I’m not analyzing the latest architectural trends, you’ll probably find me searching for hidden gems in cityscapes or appreciating the beauty of well-crafted spaces. After all, great design—like great connections—can be found in the most unexpected places. Speaking of connections, because architecture isn’t the only thing that brings people together.