When it comes to office buildings, it is not that difficult to break patterns and not stick to similar things that everyone did in the past. Kennerly Architecture & Planning seems to challenge the status quo with this photography studio and workshop covering 2400 square feet in California, USA.
The project revolved around respecting the natural context. This is a building that replaced a barn and is perfectly placed close to a creek, in between mature trees.
The studio had to be built to work as a photography studio, so the workspace ended up being a basilica that took parts of the old structure. Pre-engineered steel frames were used for the structure so that interior volume use was complete unobstructed.
With the exterior, a tapestry of salvaged redwood sliding panels, polycarbonate and Corten steel were used. Polycarbonate also formed a double skin structure for translucent sections for walls and roof. Glass doors were added to the redwood panels to offer views and cross ventilation.
Agricultural building methods were used and the space is radiantly heated from within the floor slab made out of concrete. Cooling is done passively through the use of natural ventilation and thermal mass. Fans are also added to help.
The studio features an insulation of 7 inches and a double polycarbonate skin. This makes the space calm and comfortable, with a design that showcases the modern and timeless potential of current agricultural structures.
Photographs: Thomas Heinser
