Balancing Barn
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Edmund Sumner (website) Download Original
Holiday home for rent as part of the Living Architecture scheme
The barn is 30m long, and half of it 'balances' off the natural ampitheatre-like setting. The 15m cantilever is made possible by the building's rigid structure: its central core is concrete and the cellar's materials were selected to act as a counterweight. Diagonal interior struts also support the cantilever.
The Balancing Barn's project brief was directed by the requirements of Alain de Botton's 'Living Architecture' scheme: that contemporary architecture needs to be provocative enough for people to appreciate its value.
The shape and materials are inspired by buildings in the local area. The barn is clad in reflective metal sheeting, and set up with galvanised steel cladding. The roof features a stainless steel chimney, cowl hat, and rooflights.
The interior maintains the barn-like style. Its exposed rafters in the open ceiling resemble a hammerbeam roof. The open-plan living room sits aloft over the lawn below, a point emphasised by a 5.8m2 glass floor.
The barn is naturally lit throughout, by the full height sliding windows, rooflights, and a large painting window at the back end.
The building is also energy efficient and features a ground source heat pump.
Data
- Begun: Jun 2009
- Completed: Oct 2010
- Floor area: 220m2
- Sector: House
- Procurement: JCT Standard Building Contract 2005
- Address: The Balancing Barn, Thorington, Suffolk, IP19 9JG, United Kingdom
Professional Team
- Architect: MVRDV
- Project architects: Jacob van Rijs, Nathalie de Vries, Winy Maas
- Client: Living Architecture
- Executive architect: Mole Architects
- Structural engineer: Jane Wernick Associates
- Quantity surveyor: Boyden
- Planning supervisors: Anglia Building Surveyors
- Main contractor: Seamans
- Landscape architect: The Landscape Partnership