Timeless Barn

• Net Zero Ready
• Deep Energy Retrofit

A deep energy retrofit of an old barn in Falmouth honors its past while creating a contemporary home

Most people would have torn down this barn to make way for an entirely new structure, but our client had a strong vision. He was enchanted by its many quaint historical features such as the catwalk among the trusses, and the floor made from World War II Liberty Ship hatches. He wanted to honor the past by keeping such features, honor the present by making a comfortable modern place for he and his husband to live, and honor the future by turning the drafty old barn into a highly energy-efficient, sustainable building. This passion was definitely something our firm supported and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.

The process began by visiting the site with the owner and taking an inventory of the building’s assets and liabilities. There were not a lot of the former and plenty of the latter. For one, the building needed an entirely new foundation. It was also lacking any insulation and it had no real running water and only small, marginally code-compliant, electrical service.

We opened up the space occupied by the trusses, turned the catwalk into a structural ridge beam to hold up the new roof, introduced sliding glass doors on the east and modern gabled glass to the west, and added a dormer to the loft creating a cozy bedroom. Working closely with the builder (Emerald Builders) we strategized and designed a super-insulated, well-sealed building envelope that kept much of the existing finishes intact and exposed to the interior. This combined with modern living spaces styled by the client (an interior designer) highlights this remarkable transformation.