An ancient South Hams barn once used to keep prize cattle has won two top awards from the Royal Institute of British Architects and judges say it is now worthy of being a scheduled monument.

The abandoned barn in Blackawton was an overgrown, derelict wreck but it has now been converted into “a work of art” and a luxury home for the architect’s own parents.

Judges praised the subtle way it fits into the landscape and how it has been transformed and rediscovered.

Redhill Barn is the only Devon winner in this years South West awards and will now go through to the national level after winning both a RIBA South West Award 2021 and the coveted title of RIBA South West Conservation Award 2021.

The abandoned barn was converted by London based architect Tom Powell of TYPE Studio into a home for his parents.

South West juror Rob Gregory said: “Within a typologoy of barn conversions, this place is approaching work-of-art status.

“It tells a wonderful story of family ambition with father, son and partner working hard with vision and restraint.

“This unique and rediscovered barn was no ordinary barn, and this is clear to see in the quality of its masonry, its scale, its proportion, and its immediate landscape setting, complete with its subtle but powerfully anchoring crescent shaped enclosure.

“It was a place for prize cattle, and now through its faultless execution has transformed this previously abandoned building into something worthy of being a scheduled monument.”

The South West Award 2021 winners will now be considered for the highly-coveted RIBA National Award - to be announced on Thursday September 9.

The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the best building of the year will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects later in the year.

Chairman of the South West jury, Robert Sakula, said ‘The entries we saw this year ranged in size from tiny houses to large public buildings, and encompassed everything from a transport interchange to a bridge.

“Noticeable was a large number of projects reusing existing buildings, and an ever growing-commitment to sustainability, not now just in the energy and carbon costs of occupying a building, but a growing emphasis on reducing energy and carbon in the procuring of buildings too.

“As a response to global warming and resource depletion this is commendable.”.