A local farmer built the shed himself in the 1960s. He wanted to accommodate field equipment, road-building machinery, and a repair shop, but he also needed a place to live and an office. The scale of the structure accommodates a beam crane and technical apparatus for commercial farming and cattle ranching. The roof design was an awkward marriage of a gambrel and a single slope reflecting the internal requirements.
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Star Splitter Farm Shed: Loft and Barn renovation
Architecture Technology (Built)
Firm
Studio Joseph
Architect/Designer
Wendy Joseph
Design Team
Wendy Evans Joseph – Principal
Location
Ghent, NY
Country
United States
Photographer/Copyright
©After Renovation Photo: Peter Aaron Before Image: Studio Joseph
Pre-renovation condition
As the farmer had little construction training, the interior design was idiosyncratic and dominated by randomly salvaged materials from barns in the area. Most of the structural framing was purely decorative; however, the older, wide floorboards are striking and provide a sense of history. The stairs were not to building code. The exterior shell was generally intact; there was a proliferation of awkwardly arranged window types. The renovation preserved the infrastructure emphasizing conservation and ecological best practices.
Scope of work and renovation Interior:
The gambrel section of the structure holds an office and butchering shop with a meat ager on ground level and a 2-story loft residence above. The larger open area in the shed houses equipment, vehicles, workshop, and storage. To conserve resources and achieve the most sustainable design, the goal was to reuse as much of the existing fabric as possible. The kitchen cabinetry was refurbished and painted, the floors were refinished, existing plumbing locations were utilized, and no new door or window openings were created. The loft renovation includes a new straight-run stair, bathroom fixtures, and new mechanical systems. A palette of matte-black cabinetry and natural wood is used throughout.
Exterior:
The addition of a large dormer creates a sculptural form that enlivens the reading of the shed in the landscape. While providing ventilation and helping with water runoff, the main effect is to break the lines of the form, creating a play of light and shadow as viewed from near and far. This change in profile, in addition to the selective removal of windows, reduces opportunities for leaks and rot, making the shed more robust over time. A black metal, standing seam roof replaces the existing failed sheathing.
Results
The shed has become a central part of farm life. It enhances family living and addresses a wide range of requirements for the management of land and cattle. Enclosure upgrades, combined with energy-efficient appliances and more flexible mechanical systems, have significantly reduced operating costs. The change in the shed signals a rebirth of the property as part of modern farming methods and best practices for animal care. Star Splitter Farm breaks from traditional methods towards more humane ranching that are ecological and forward-thinking. As this land has been farmed continuously since the early 1800s, this project helps safeguard agricultural life in this region.
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