3 Eco Friendly Barn Conversions That We’re Coveting

These eco friendly barn conversions will make you want to leave the city forever!

By Jody McCutcheon

As a child, I loved visiting my grandparents’ farm. The barn in particular held me in total thrall. It was a place that smelled of oil and machinery, which to this day I associate with the concept of “grownup stuff.”

Back then, the barn exuded a rugged sense of adventure—new, interesting stuff in every corner—not to mention a dusty, rustic charm.

I recognise that most people probably didn’t grow up with the same experiences of the countryside that I had. But it doesn’t matter!

If’ve found some eco friendly barn conversions below. Each one offers all these elements, plus a rich dose of sustainability and the elegance of modern interior design. I reckon that after learning about them, if you’re like me, you’ll be tempted to call those movers and leave the city forever!

3 Eco Friendly Barn Conversions

1. Silvernails

“The idea of living in a barn is romantic, idealistic, but totally unrealistic in this day and age. The key [is] to make a new barn-like structure liveable.” So says Ben Albury, principal architect and founder of NYC-based Amalgam Studio, in regards to Silvernails, Amalgam’s first ground-up residential project.

An archetypal nineteenth-century barn in structure, form and materiality, Silvernails sits atop a hill on a 49-hectare property in the Hudson Valley. The main building is accompanied by a detached, three-car garage with loft that can be converted into guesthouse, with both situated around an open field and a swimming pool. To celebrate the region’s communal barn-raising tradition, Silvernails’ timber structure was erected in one day.

Constructed from stone and wood, the three-level, four-bedroom, five-bathroom home is a big ol’ thing, measuring 30 metres in length and totalling 465 square metres. A central staircase bisects the open-plan dwelling, with one half consisting of a public area (den, living room, kitchen and dining room) and the other a private area (bedrooms and bathrooms). Exposed hardwood timbers add to the rustic look, as do the basement’s stone walls and wine cellar. But some contemporary touches have been added downstairs, including a media room and game room.

Contrary to the popular concept of dark, musty barns, Silvernails’ interior offers plenty of light. Large, sliding doors open onto decks and picturesque views of the bucolic Hudson Valley.

In terms of sustainability, this is one of the few eco friendly barn conversions that embraces Passive House principles.

Below is a laundry list of sustainability features, in no particular order:

• A high-performance, mould- and insect-resistant exterior facade of super-insulation, air-tight membranes, rain screens and triple glazing throughout
• Adjustable exterior sun shading devices and in-wall heat-recovery ventilation units ensure an adaptable and comfortable interior environment, with continuous, year-round fresh air
• Operable windows and sliding doors encourage cross-ventilation
• Heating comes from fireplaces and wood stoves, or with energy-efficient, multi-split, heat-pump air-conditioning systems
• Daylighting harvested by multiple skylights
• House requires no fossil fuels
• Basement wine cellar is completely passive, needing no temperature control
• Natural materials used throughout; local materials used on interior finish; house interior constructed from wood harvested from property
• On-site sewage treatment and storm water collection
• Potential for rooftop solar on the south-facing main house roof

All told, Silvernails was designed to last 100 years. Imagine a place that offers a minimalist, modern aesthetic, bright, chic lighting and ample, made-to-order furniture, all in a rural setting – that’s Silvernails.

2. The Ancient Party Barn

This is a story of resurrection. A renovation and transformation of a rustic eighteenth-century threshing barn into a beautiful living space.

The Ancient Party Barn is an award-winning project by London-based firm Liddicoat & Goldhill. It’s situated amidst green, rolling hills in rural Kent, South England.

In the architects’ words, we’re talking about a “playful reworking of historic agricultural buildings for residential use.” Along these lines, the Ancient Party Barn incorporates many of its predecessor’s old elements, to emphasise functionality and a barn-like aesthetic and character.

The barn can be kept closed to protect against “rolling Channel mists.” Or, it can open itself up to the world. Hidden behind a custom awning bifold door and replacing the barn doors are two massive rotating windows that open, exposing its innards to plenty of natural light and lush countryside views.

The interior remains very barn-like, with impressive double-height timber ceilings and the open-plan kitchen and dining area. Exposed timber support beams line the walls and ceilings. New wood slabs nicely contrast the original green oak framing.

A pre-existing brick fireplace serves to centre the interior and subdivide living space. Around it snakes a custom steel staircase leading up to a mezzanine. It offers a private area for bathing and sleeping. Above, a skylight spans the length of the roof, working with the rotating windows to wash the interior with sunlight.

Along with repurposing the surviving materials in the build, additional sustainability features include a ground-source heat pump that heats the house and water supply. Next to the main barn is a timber-framed guest house with a loft space.

It’s modern, it’s charming, and it’s one of my favourite eco friendly barn conversions!

3. The Barn at Critter Creek

What follows is a heartwarming story of preservation: of memories, history and environment.

The scene is set just outside Austin, Texas. Homeowners decide to tear down their long-time abode in an effort to breathe new life into the family property. Enter Furman + Keil Architects. Upon consultation between client and firm, a plan is hatched: repurpose the existing home to create a new structure while maintaining the spirit of the original building.

First, the original building’s exposed timber frame was dismantled and preserved to optimise reassembly. Then the timber frame was galvanised with steel connectors before being reused to complete (and extend) the barn’s interior. End gable walls were fashioned from rocks quarried from the site. Two new dormers allowed for cross-ventilation and natural light to reach deep into the previously dark and stuffy space. Finally, the same Douglas fir siding that graced the previous dwelling was reused on the new structure to foster sustainability and a healthy dose of nostalgia.

The resulting masterpiece is a multi-purpose studio and shop with an awesome name, one that evokes genuine rural charm: The Barn at Critter Creek. The five-bay building offers space for vehicle repairs and maintenance, storage and even the occasional party.

Enjoy the rugged yet elegant charm of a place that’s both old and new. In reusing parts salvaged from the original structure and property, the Barn at Critter Creek does its part to relieve stress on the environment. But it also preserves a touch of the past, so the owners’ history remains within easy reach.

Lead Photo: Jesse Turnquist

First 4 photos: Oliver Mint

Photos 5-7: Jesse Turnquist

Photo 8: Will Scott

Photos 9-16: Keith Collie

Photos 17-23: Dror Baldinger