Ancram Barn

Ancram, New York

Completed - 2016

Design Team
Max Worrell, Jejon Yeung

This new storage barn located on a 30-acre-property in upstate New York establishes a contemporary, minimal counterpart to the existing home and other traditional structures on the property, but refers back to them by incorporating key elements of the agrarian vernacular of the Hudson Valley region. The​ ​building’s​ ​overall​ ​form​ ​is​ ​clean​ ​and​ ​simple,​ ​and its​ ​volume​ ​is​ ​a​ ​single,​ ​unobtrusive​ ​gabled​ ​roof​ ​structure​ ​that nestles​ ​into​ ​the​ ​hillside​ ​with​ ​retaining​ ​walls​ ​that​ ​create​ ​a​ ​drive court​ ​between​ ​the​ ​barn​ ​and​ ​the​ ​house.

Nominated for the 2016-2017 Mies Crowns Americas Prize, MCHAP
Recipient of the 2018 AIA New York State Design Award

The black-stained wood barn ​accommodates​ ​storage​ ​for​ ​two​ ​cars​ ​along​ ​with​ ​a dedicated​ ​garden/potting​ ​area​ ​and​ ​a​ ​flexible,​ ​covered​ ​outdoor room that frames dramatic views to the​ ​Berkshires​ ​mountains​ ​and beyond.​ ​Inside,​ ​the prefabricated​ ​wood​ ​scissor​ ​truss​ ​structure​ ​and​ ​wood​ ​framing​ ​is left​ ​exposed.​ ​Material​ ​selections​ ​throughout​ ​were​ ​made​ ​to​ ​be durable​ ​and​ ​to require as​ ​little​ ​maintenance​ ​as possible in ​the​ ​climate​ ​zone.​ ​The roof​ ​is​ ​black​ ​metal​ ​and​ ​the​ ​exterior​ ​is​ ​clad​ ​in​ ​vertical​ ​black-stained hemlock​ ​wood​ ​siding,​ ​while​ ​the​ ​interior​ ​is​ ​clad​ ​in​ ​the​ ​same hemlock​ ​wood,​ ​but​ ​left​ ​natural.

This modern barn adopts an unmistakably contemporary design approach, while incorporating key elements of the agrarian vernacular of the Hudson Valley region.

Photographs
Magda Biernat