Address:
Private Residence
Completion Date: 1996
The Shaker Settlement at Tyringham was established in 1792 as a satelite community of the Hancock Shaker settlement. For most of this century, the surviving buildings have been owned by one family with the various structures occupied by different members of the extended family. The clients for this house, nearing retirement, wished to pass on their large dwelling to their children and grand children-yet retain residence at the site. They looked to an adjacent barn (circa 1875) with the intention of constructing their new, compact dwelling as an addition to it. This would consist only of a master bedroom suite, living/dining area and a modest kitchen-all on one level. Since the settlement is on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district, and because of local zoning requirements, the addition was designed in the Shaker style utilizing vernacular materials and details which appeared on other buildings located on the site and from the village at Hancock.
The first phase of the project was the stabilization of the barn which was sliding down the steeply sloped site with resulting settlement and movement of the structure. Because the addition was to be as unobtrusive as possible on the road side of the barn, and to take advantage of the magnificent view across the valley, it was constructed on the backside with the main entrance being directly through the barn. The configuration of the addition was in response to organizing the main spaces on one level, relating access from the existing floor level of the barn, and responding to the precipitous slope of the site. By supporting the addition on massive granite piers (a typical method used at Hancock), a sheltered loggia was created with a wonderful view across the broad Tyringham Valley. This loggia is used for both dining and lounging. Although it utilizes current building construction systems and standards, the addition is meant to appear an integral part of the old barn.