Barnard Barn: Finishes for a Low-Carbon Studio
Inside the artist’s studio | Photo by Emily Billings
Barnard Barn is an adaptive re-use project that transforms a disused horse barn into an artist’s studio. The renovation preserves the barn’s essential form while reimagining it as a space for creativity and production, guided by a palette of low-carbon, durable finishes.
Homasote as Finish
First developed in the early 20th century, Homasote is a fiberboard made from recycled paper, originally used for soundproofing, insulation, and sheathing. At Barnard Barn, we reimagined its purpose: using it as a finished wall surface. Installed with a clean 1/8-inch shadow line, it eliminated the need for plastering—saving labor, avoiding dust, and ensuring no cracks to repair over time. The result is stable, textured, and acoustically quiet, perfect for a studio.
Light Through Polycarbonate
Polycarbonate was first developed in the mid-20th century and became widely adopted in the 1960s as a lightweight, shatter-resistant alternative to glass. In construction, it found use in skylights, greenhouses, and industrial sheds—places where high-impact resistance, UV stability, and affordability mattered more than absolute transparency. Its ability to diffuse light evenly made it a natural fit for spaces where glare reduction and illumination were equally important.
More recently, polycarbonate became the material of choice for New York City’s COVID-era restaurant sheds, where it was used for translucent roofs and siding panels. These sheds demonstrated its value in an urban setting: lightweight to install, affordable for small businesses, and able to let daylight filter in so dining spaces didn’t feel dark or enclosed. That same quality—light, airy, and affordable—translates directly into architectural projects like Barnard Barn.
Here, we used translucent polycarbonate panels to scatter daylight softly across surfaces, creating a luminous interior that supports artistic work without harsh shadows. In one location, a polycarbonate-clad stair doubles as both a guardrail and a light filter, allowing the artist to still have visibility to the entry of the studio from their office on the other side. In another, the panels reveal the hemp insulation behind them—a reminder that even materials typically hidden in walls can play an expressive role in design.
Polycarbonate sheathing with a view of the hemp wool insulation within the ceiling | Photo by Naho Kubota
Plywood and Softwood Surfaces
Inside, plywood and softwood lumber form much of the finish palette. Plywood itself has a long history in construction. Patented in the 19th century but popularized in the early 20th, plywood is made by gluing thin veneers of wood together with alternating grain directions, creating a panel that is stronger and more dimensionally stable than solid boards. Over time, related products emerged: veneered plywood for finer finishes, OSB (oriented strand board) for structural sheathing, and laminated panels designed to balance strength, cost, and appearance. What connects them all is efficiency—making more out of less by turning thin slices, strands, and chips of wood into strong, useful panels.
At Barnard Barn, plywood was used to construct a workspace and storage wall where canvases, frames, and tools are organized, and to form a desk surface that is durable enough for daily creative work. These installations show plywood’s ability to be both elegant and utilitarian, offering an approachable finish that holds up under the demands of an active studio.
More broadly, we value plywood because it reflects the way residential spaces are evolving. Homes today are often workplaces as well, and their finishes must be durable rather than fragile. Plywood accepts wear, invites modification, and continues to perform over time—qualities that make it as fitting for a family kitchen as for a creative workshop.
Investing in Craft
The efficiency of these finishes freed resources for high-value custom elements. Large sliding windows open the barn to its surroundings, a fireplace anchors gatherings, and bespoke pieces—like a long solid wood bench and carved stone sink—offer permanence and inspiration. These elements elevate the studio, balancing rugged utility with crafted detail.
Beyond the Studio
While Barnard Barn is an artist’s studio, its palette points to broader applications. Homasote panels, polycarbonate glazing, and plywood interiors are strategies we’re actively exploring in residential contexts—where low-carbon, cost-effective finishes can support more resilient and inspiring homes.
Barnard Barn shows that finishes can carry the weight of transformation. By choosing materials that are low-carbon and long-lasting, it’s possible to conserve resources while creating spaces that enrich daily life.
If you are interested in learning more about how different interior or exterior finishes can be used in your upcoming project, please connect with us through our contact page.
To learn more about this project, visit the project page here: Barnard Barn
