BERKSHIRE ARTISIT STUDIO

CULTURAL

Client Private
Location Berkshire County, Massachusetts, US
Program Artist Studio
Area 41.4 m² (446 ft²)

In the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts, we designed an artist’s studio that sits among two 1790 barns. These barns are the genesis of the studio’s formal development. By using the architectural language found in these two barns, the studio disappears next to them - seamlessly blending into the vernacular architecture.

A SPACE OF PRODUCTION
A SPACE OF CONTEMPLATION

With an exterior wrapped in white oil stained wood, the interior is defined by two humble spaces: a space of production and a space of contemplation. On the south facing facade there are gaps in the lumber with polycarbonate panels to let diffuse light into the contemplative space. The space of production is beyond the polycarbonate door. A flexible floor plan defines these two spaces, allowing multiple uses and allowing them to change overtime. The envelope of the building oscillates between opaque, translucent, and transparent, providing a rich variation in the types of natural light which fill the space. As an introverted building, the studio is a refuge among the trees.

FRAMING THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE AND BEING VERNACULAR CONSTRUCTION

With a sloped roof, and a few selective views through windows or sliding doors, this artist studio sits lightly within this landscape. By framing the surrounding landscape and being  vernacular construction, this studio is unique to its place and maximizes a humble approach to space making. The studio speaks to the simplicity required for being in harmony with the nature that surrounds it.

Team
Andrew Heid, Jingjing Wu

General Contractor
Alander