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Aesthetic | Art Barn | Aspen, CO
Positioned so the entry façade addresses a pastoral ranch meadow and the rear façade frames panoramic views of Aspen, Art Barn was designed for displaying multiple forms of mixed media contemporary art, engaging with the art community at large, and hosting friends.
Art Barn’s architectural design was predicated upon the vision of allowing a rural vernacular to rest naturally on the site. The singular gable form, along with the minimalist detailing of the shou-sugi-ban wood siding and fenestration, suggests a simple, pure concept that’s carried through to the inside.
A soothing interior palette features natural materials, including European white oak flooring, light grey plaster walls, rift sawn white oak, and Aegean limestone, while minimally framed windows and doors bring in an abundance of natural light. Eighteen-inch-thick walls allow for oversized pocket window-door systems and provide the optimal backdrop for video art displays.
The main room was planned for multiple uses with furniture easily removeable to accommodate a variety of events. Private spaces allow for focused study and rest. Two distinct gallery spaces, one on each floor, are designed to display a vast range of video art arrangements.
In back, lift-and-slide floor-to-ceiling glass pocket doors open the entirety of the main floor to a covered outdoor living room running the full width of the residence. Broad steps lead down to a gravel-covered bocce court that also serves as a storm-water filtration system. The court is flanked by concrete planters that soften the garden’s edges with greenery and lightly screen the lot from the neighbors.
Art Barn’s crescendo is the tearoom. Designed as a modern interpretation of an authentic Japanese tearoom and to accommodate traditional tea ceremonies, the space is located behind hidden doors at the lower-level video art gallery.
Photography by Lisa Romerein, Brent Moss and Joshua McHugh
