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The Red Barn stays abstract and minimal

The Red Barn stays abstract and minimal

(Paúl Rivera)


Form and surface meld to express the Red Barn’s inspiration. The simple gabled form with its vibrant red exterior recalls the typology of a traditional barn. Only upon closer inspection do the glazed ends, entry portal, hangar door, and contemporary cladding denote another reality for the building. The Red Barn’s meaning lies somewhere between the past it references and the present it occupies.

The Red Barn in Westport, Connecticut, is designed as a contemporary update of the English barn. With Swisspearl the architect was able to clad the barn entirely in one material with an eye-catching red color. With these two statements, Roger Ferris + Partners wanted to reinforce the barn imagery with what the designers call the “graphic efficiency” of the building.

The Red Barn draws attention to the state’s agricultural past. Cognizant of history yet rooted in modern materials and construction, the abstracted, minimal Red Barn serves as a symbol of something lost—something people don’t want to forget.

Find the whole story including an exclusive interview with the architect Roger Ferris in the Swisspearl Architecture #27. Subscribe to Swisspearl’s magazine to get the printed issue and let yourself be inspired.

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