2 Barns

Located in the Uptown area of Phoenix between an established neighborhood and a transitional area of higher density and mixed use, the 2 Barns project sits on an infill flag lot minutes from downtown.

The origin of the building form and cladding came from the family‘s agricultural and ethnic background as well as the agrarian history of the area. The house is a high-performance home and is rated as a net zero residence. The modern massing lends itself to a design with minimal overhangs which allowed the design team to create continuous paths for exterior insulation, air flow and air sealing all with no thermal bridging.

All of the cladding on the home is designed as a rain screen. Corrugated metal is used as a low maintenance, long lasting roofing material that seamlessly transitions into the wall cladding. 3d panels and small amounts of wood accents are also designed as rain screen elements to provide the desired building performance and give the project a variation in material and texture. The 3d panels accentuate each gable end while the wood siding creates a more tactile feel at openings into the home.

Simple forms and materials helped keep project costs in check, forcing the design to focus on aesthetic elements that were direct responses to climate, maintenance and project performance. Building elements, materials and finishes were carefully planned to be used on a limited basis but for high impact with a goal of having the performance elements of the home also act as the main form and design drivers of the project.