Live Work Barn Conversion
Originally a barn in disrepair, this concept design created a 2000sf live work retreat in rural southeast Ohio that blends preservation and modern intervention in a simple and efficient way.
The design retains much of the original structure, form, and character while incorporating modern detailing and updates in creating a comfortable atmosphere for relaxing, gathering, and working. Large expanses of glass, exterior spaces, and focused views to the south and east create a strong connection to nature while providing protection from the elements and enhanced thermal comfort.
Working with Yvonne and her team was wonderful! In just a matter of one questionnaire and an early conceptual meeting, they totally captured the escape/work space I have been dreaming of and planning for years! I didn’t know how we would incorporate modern with my artsy vision, but they did it.It was a delight to truly feel engaged in the creative process; it was as if we were true design partners – they took my ideas and feedback, incorporating them into each iteration of the design, as they developed their own understanding of the concept.
The concept package was just the thing I needed to begin actualizing my project – it provided a concrete vision to discuss in order to begin bringing on my team of helpers throughout the building process. I brought it out for every discussion in the early stages! I was also glad I purchased the raw CAD files, as having them allowed my drafter to start where Yvonne and her team left off and begin filling in the details of the design – accelerating the next phases of the project.
The concept package was absolutely the catalyst I didn’t know I needed!
Exterior Material Palette
Interior Material Palette
Existing Conditions Photos
Design Concept & Program
The client requested a simple elegant live work barn conversion that was economical, efficient, low-maintenance, and modern—one that integrated living and working spaces and provided spaces for work gatherings and meetings with visiting guests. The client was also intent on creating varied and comfortable indoor and outdoor spaces with strong connections to the surrounding landscape. She wanted to create an environment that provided escape from busy city life while also allowed for focused work. Because the client’s work takes various forms, she desired spaces and work areas that could be multifunctional, flexible, and accommodating of both secluded and open atmospheres.
The design exposes the timber framing inside the barn structure. The effect: the substantial voluminous space under the two-story gable roof is reduced to a cozy, yet airy environment perfect for work or leisure. As a barn, lighting had not been a priority; as a living space, however, opening up the spaces to daylight and views was critical. The design creates and enhances the much desired indoor-outdoor connection through a series of large openings, deliberately-located windows, covered porches, and large open decks. Decks and recessed porches are easily accessible through doors in large window walls and are partially protected from the elements by movable wooden screens. The screens slide over openings when protection from the elements or privacy is desired and to provide more control of the amount of daylight and direct sunlight that enters the spaces.
A simple, low-maintenance, and cost-effective approach was conceived for the project’s material palette. On the exterior, cedar cladding and screening left in its unfinished state would weather to a natural gray color. Interior architecture is kept to a minimum, inserting modern interventions and updates only when necessary. The exposed timber framing, smooth sheetrock walls, and inexpensive plywood for millwork, shelving, and cabinetry create a simple modern (yet rustic) interior aesthetic.
Site
The existing 30’x50′ barn sits on a lush piece of property in rural Ohio. Mature deciduous trees are scattered throughout the site and open to views of neighboring wetlands to the east and small creek and distant hills to the south. The topography is fairly level around the barn but gently slopes down towards the creek and wetlands to the south and east, respectively. Originally, the barn included a small attached 1-story structure to the southwest but was discarded in the design to make room for the new carport.
Design Process
Of key importance was the means by which the live/work spaces would be partitioned. Various layouts were considered that explored how spaces could be blended, integrated, and separated. Ultimately, an integrated approach created the best design solution where spaces could be flexible and multi-functional, yet still providing dedicated space for specific functions.
The client’s desire to integrate living and work areas required that, on the one hand, no hard delineation be made between the two while, on the other hand, some sort of boundaries were needed. In the chosen design scheme, living and working spaces were organized and designed so that visual obstructions, casework, and changes in floor levels and floor finishes define the spaces, and as a result, provide soft boundaries between them. Private one-story areas are anchored to the west to take advantage of the existing loft level floor and smaller volume of space beneath it. Public areas open up to the east and south and capitalize on views in those directions under a large voluminous two-story gable roof.
