Barnard Barn
An adaptive re-use project, this transformation centers around a simple, wood-framed horse barn. The barn originally stood as an uninsulated timber shell with board-and-batten siding, asphalt shingle roofing, and an interior featuring OSB sheets and hemlock pine boards.
The goal of this project was to convert the barn into a functional, year-round art studio. To achieve this, The existing siding was removed in order to insulate the barn from the outside while retaining the existing hemlock on the interior. Instead of traditional gypsum drywall, we used homasote boards, a biodegradable composite composed of recycled paper and wax, to fill the spaces left behind by removed windows and doors.
To avoid using toxic, long-lasting foam insulation, we employed hemp wool battens for the exterior cavity walls and ceiling. Hemp wool, made without binders and fiberglass, allows for quick installation using the same methods as traditional insulation battens, without the need for respirators and gloves. In certain areas exposed during the renovation process, such as walls above the existing rim joists and the cathedral ceiling, the hemp wool is covered by new rough-sawn hemlock boards to echo the original barn interior.