William Duff Architects was honored with the coveted Merit Award from the American Institute of Architects for his bold renovation of a rustic barn in the Napa Valley into a refuge for families, embellishing it with new volumes and reflections
The Barn transformed into a Refuge for families. In San Francisco, the right light transforms the ordinary into extraordinary
In San Francisco, William Duff Architects has created a bold renovation of a rustic barn in the Napa Valley, transforming it into a welcoming refuge for families and enriching it with new glass volumes and subtle transparencies
Originally located on a seven-hectare Napa Valley estate, the barn has been moved without any demolition and located closer to the vineyard and surrounded by works of art. The client therefore asked the studio to adapt the utilitarian form of the structure, preserving it and adapting the interiors for contemporary use
The wooden slatted structure of the barn serves as a screen through which the sun's rays flow, creating designs in constant evolution on the colored concrete floors. Inside, the architect inserts two new, contrasting glass volumes whose mirrored walls flank the collection space, reflecting the stable and the surrounding environment. At night, the interior lighting transforms the barn into a lantern
Behind the mirrors are a bar, a kitchen for catering, a personal gym and toilets. Seamless details and the use of innovative materials such as industrial magnets and two-way glass make these functional spaces completely disappear behind the walls. To maximize the efficiency, all the spaces requiring air conditioning are located inside the glass volumes, eliminating the need to affect the entire stable
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