How’s this for a barn?  Complete with horses and cows and all the trappings of farm life, it’s also designed with a dual purpose in mind, allowing the hayloft serve as a community space for shows and gatherings and dinners.

I like how the off-kilter roof catches the eye and lets the barn feel taller than it really is, and how the metal trim helps emphasize the form (as though you were tracing around it with a thick line in a drawing).  I also like how it and the large window for the loft (itself pretty nifty) work off each other to balance the composition.  There’s lots of nice little touches scattered throughout, and in keeping with the theme most of them do dual duty, like the deep porch that not only welcomes as an entrance but also provides a covered spot to tend to the animals “outdoors” before bringing them in.

Cool stuff.  Save for the metal trim, this is all pretty much standard barn construction, just wood and studs, designed and constructed with precision and care.  A great reminder that all buildings, even “working buildings”, can be ones of great designs that engage and enliven and fill us with delight.

Swallowfield Barn by MOTIV Architects