The character of Skarðströnd Peninsula in western Iceland is shaped by mountains, meadows and fjords and just a few farmsteads. An artist and a radio broadcaster chose one of these properties consisting of several buildings to make a home with a studio and accommodation for guests. First, they commissioned Studio Bua to convert the abandoned barn dating from 1937. Built of solid concrete with coarse aggregate, the structure was in a very poor condition. The architects and clients made a joint decision to leave a ruinous extension untouched and to make a small garden with flowers, vegetable beds and herbs within the walls. In the barn too, the aim was to preserve as much as possible. Holes in the external walls were repaired using gravel and volcanic sand. To ensure stability a reinforced concrete floor slab was made in the existing building.