Marlon Blackwell Architects

This ”hybrid-house” developed from our observations on how a boundary makes place out of space and how a frame is used to articulate form. The intent was to provide a sense of order; an integrated relationship between coexisting but discrete spatial conditions of artifice and land. High above the Illinois River valley, on a three-sided sloped hill, the BarnHouse, and its open paddock, is intimately linked with the pristine, adjacent forest by a wooden fence, which  is a unifying element that provides scale and lateral support for the structure.

 

Along the south facade, the operable second-floor window wall provides expansive views of the landscape beyond and takes advantage of the prevailing winds from the southwest. A generous roof overhang allows for shade on the south facade in the summer and lets sun in during the winter months. 

 

A palate of common materials—wood, concrete block and metal—underscores the utilitarian nature of the structure. We see construction as a rationalized process; our use of a patterned bolt layout, used to attach the siding and fence rails to the structural columns, and the predrilled ribbed metal panels affirms this philosophy. 

 

The interior living area embodies many of the concerns expressed in the exterior. Museum stud walls define the spaces and create a sense of openness. At the ground floor, a structural column system that references local pole-barn construction, provides interchangeable spaces that can accommodate either vehicles or animals. Both inside and out, careful attention to construction detail and the choice of material finishes creates a system of structural articulation that helps inscribe the BarnHouse with its natural setting. The primary assertion throughout this project is that architecture is a studied relationship between building and land. As I reflect upon the quality of spaces we made for the animals and the folks I can safely say they both got a pretty good deal.