After losing the original structure to heavy snows during the winter of 2008, the client approached our firm about constructing a stable that would last for generations to come, but appear as though it had already been there for over a century. The only way to achieve the proper look was a true timber frame structure with authentic detailing, assembly methods and patina, constructed from different types of wood to make the multifunctional building appear as though it had been built and added onto over many decades. As a result, every major component of the new structure is reclaimed, including the timber frame, siding material, flooring, decking, and slate roof.
Set on a twelve foot module typical of horse stalls, the Equestrian Stable is divided into three zones. The shop was built “first” out of reclaimed, hand-hewn oak with a loft above crowned by a translucent skylight. The stalls for six horses, two wash stalls and a foaling stall, with a hay loft above were built “next” out of reclaimed fir. “Finally” the tack area, also built out of reclaimed fir, completes the historically accurate and functional structure. An impressively scaled double-sided fireplace with a one-piece stone mantel complements the two story tack room and connects to the covered terrace exterior. Outside, a round pen and paddocks flank the structure’s stone clad exterior. The resulting structure serves as a home to the client’s horses as well as providing work and living space for their caretaker, as it appears to have done for over 100 years.