Volland, Kansas was founded in the late 1800s when Rock Island Railroad built a depot at the towns edge. On October 18, 1913 Kratzer Brothers Mercantile opened in Volland, built by brothers Otto and Bill. Filled with merchandise and serving as a post office with two telephone lines, the store quickly became a cultural hub for the surrounding community. After the store closed in 1971, the building sat empty for 30 years. In 2013, a couple from Kansas City purchased the building, deciding to turn it into an art gallery with a small living space serving as an artist’s retreat. While the roof, second and third floors had collapsed, the masonry shell was left structurally intact. The design team laid out a floor plan similar to the original: a large, open space at the front for events and exhibitions where the general store was, and a second-story living space at the back, above a catering kitchen and restrooms. The majority of the second story was not rebuilt, leaving the gallery open, flexible and filled with light. The design solution was simple, relying on clean forms and honoring the integrity of original materials and context of the surrounding tall-grass prairie.
View Original