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Charred Barn
Charred Barn
West Chester, PA, United States
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Other Projects by MaMo Architects
Charred Barn
West Chester, PA, United States
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2019
SIZE
1000 sqft - 3000 sqft
BUDGET
$1M - 5M
CHARRED barn is a contemporary residence set on 13.3 acres in the rolling hills of West Chester, Pennsylvania, where familiar agricultural forms are reinterpreted through advanced building systems and material rigor. Conceived as an alternative to conventional suburban construction, the project challenges local residential norms by pairing durable, energy-efficient assemblies with a warm, tactile interior environment.
The home is organized as a series of barn-like volumes, their simple silhouettes drawn from the surrounding rural landscape. Beneath this familiar form, the structure is built almost entirely of insulated concrete formwork (ICF) with poured concrete floors, creating a continuous thermal shell with exceptional performance and longevity. This robust construction method liberates the plan and section, allowing volumes to be carved, recessed, and cantilevered to frame views, daylight, and outdoor rooms.
Passive strategies are integral to the design. Radiant floors leverage the thermal mass of the concrete shell, while a heat chimney ,formed by the stair and a venting skylight, supports natural air movement. Photovoltaic panels with battery storage are housed in a detached barn that also functions as a workshop for building a solar-powered sailing vessel.
Material choices reinforce the dialogue between grit and refinement. Exposed concrete is softened by reclaimed timbers, charred wood siding, corrugated metal, and finely crafted millwork. Together, these elements produce a house that feels both industrial and deeply human, rooted in place, durable by design, and quietly forward-looking.
The home is organized as a series of barn-like volumes, their simple silhouettes drawn from the surrounding rural landscape. Beneath this familiar form, the structure is built almost entirely of insulated concrete formwork (ICF) with poured concrete floors, creating a continuous thermal shell with exceptional performance and longevity. This robust construction method liberates the plan and section, allowing volumes to be carved, recessed, and cantilevered to frame views, daylight, and outdoor rooms.
Passive strategies are integral to the design. Radiant floors leverage the thermal mass of the concrete shell, while a heat chimney ,formed by the stair and a venting skylight, supports natural air movement. Photovoltaic panels with battery storage are housed in a detached barn that also functions as a workshop for building a solar-powered sailing vessel.
Material choices reinforce the dialogue between grit and refinement. Exposed concrete is softened by reclaimed timbers, charred wood siding, corrugated metal, and finely crafted millwork. Together, these elements produce a house that feels both industrial and deeply human, rooted in place, durable by design, and quietly forward-looking.
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