de leon & primer: mason lane farm

‘mason lane farm operations facility’ by de leon & primmer in goshen, indiana all images courtesy de leon & primmer architecture workshop

‘mason lane farm operations facility’ by american practice de leon & primmer architecture workshop is an entry into this year’s world architecture festival for the production, energy and recycling category. located in goshen, indiana, the project is a new complex for farm equipment, servicing, re-fueling and storage on a 2,000-acre property utilized for agriculture, recreation, wildlife habitat and conservation purposes. two separate barn structures consolidate the various programmatic elements while heavy consideration was put into the circulation and access requirements of the large-scale farm equipment. the building focuses on recycling and using locally sourced materials.

both structures are thoughtfully placed on the plot to frame the outdoor work courtyard. the arrangement cuts down on the need for outdoor lighting requirements to an internalized site zone. the existing slope and terrain of the site is used to collect the stormwater for non-potable use while a system of drivable, shallow concrete channels aligned below each roof eave collects additional rain water. in this manner, the project enables the site and buildings to work together to provide an efficient facility space.

mainly drawing from the simplicity of local farm structures and building traditions, the designs of the barns are decidedly ‘low-tech’, favoring conventional construction methods and ordinary materials over specialized systems. bamboo is the primary building material for a large covered shed (barn B), which is used to provide seasonal storage for grain and hay, as well as equipment. harvested from a site 35 miles away from the project site, the bamboo stalks are put together in a lattice grid fashion, providing a permeable skin that allows the stacks of hay to dry through natural ventilation. three layers of bamboo are assembled together through galvanized re-bar wire ties.

bamboo latticework

seasonal hay storage

equipment storage

the second barn (barn A), a fully enclosed storage and work area, eliminates the use of finish materials by employing a prefabricated wood truss frame clad with simple corrugated metal panels; conventionally hidden elements such as building substrates, fastening screws, and alignment lines are left exposed. full-height operable windows facilitate cross ventilation while interior temperature is maintained through an insulated concrete floor slab with embedded warming coils. the external wood-fired boiler is fueled by wood debris from the farm.

garage opening