Durslade Farmhouse

It was originally owned by the Berkeley family, who built the first buildings at Durslade and affixed their coat of arms to the Farmhouse, which can still be seen today. The farm has changed hands three times since the 18th century, however in recent years the buildings were left vacant and fell into disrepair. In 2012 Hauser & Wirth received planning permission to restore the buildings, and construction work started later that year. The elegant Farmhouse was the first building to be completed.

The building has been perceptively renovated by the architectural firms Laplace & Co. and benjamin + beauchamp. Luis Laplace also designed the Farmhouse’s interior. Full of character and bold innovative twists, it celebrates the natural antiquity of the building by combining original fittings with unexpected interiors and vintage furniture sourced from local shops and salvage yards. The interior is completed by unique artworks from two of Hauser & Wirth’s artists.

Guillermo Kuitca has created a specially commissioned painted mural for the four walls of the dining room, and Pipilotti Rist, who spent twelve months living in Bruton, has produced a mesmerising video installation which projects the Somerset landscape onto the walls of the sitting room through a chandelier of found objects and glass. Read more about both residencies here and here. The Farmhouse is used as accommodation for visiting guests and artists.