In Obermaßholderbach, Steinbach Schimmel Architekten has sensitively reimagined a nineteenth-century barn, preserving its oak frame and rubble-stone masonry while introducing a considered contemporary program. The construction was completed across three stages, during which time what was once a space for animals and the storage of grain was transformed into a light-filled, environmentally sustainable office that accommodates 25 workstations over four levels.

“From the outset, the goal of the design was to preserve the barn's original structure and repurpose its function as a farm building for new use. The historic half-timbered structure was preserved and continues to form the spatial and structural backbone of the building to this day.” 

— Steinbach Schimmel Architekten

Historic continuity

Originally part of a working farm, the barn was organised around the demands of agricultural production and storage. Two threshing floors, each with large timber doors, occupied the north and south ends of the building, while the centre housed the cowshed and adjacent manure pit. Storage was provided by cellars beneath the building and above, in a full-length attic and a series of staggered levels integrated into the timber frame. The barn’s material character forms the basis of Steinbach Schimmel Architekten’s design.

Today, the barn-come-office is accessed via the courtyard, where a glazed entrance leads directly into the former threshing floor. Once used for separating grain from harvested crop, this space has been reinterpreted as the building's primary circulation zone. A sculptural black mill-scale steel staircase acts forms the spine of the building, connecting its four levels and their different programs, which were developed through the three phases of renovation.

Materials and intervention

The careful conversion retained the barn's structural elements and its external walls, and was undertaken using traditional materials and careful intervention. Locally sourced clay-hemp insulation and clay plaster were combined with integrated wall heating, with concealed pipes radiating warmth through the clay surface. Together, these form a vapour permeable system that regulates moisture, helping maintain a healthy indoor climate while preserving the historic timber structure across time. New windows have been carefully inserted in the building envelope, bringing light into the structure without compromising historic character.

Passive design

The thermal mass of the building provides comfort throughout the summer—particularly in the partly earth-sheltered meeting room. When heating is needed, an on-site log-fired boiler—which uses wood harvested from the surrounding forests—provides heat through the WEM wall-heating system. To further enhance the energy performance of the barn, the roof has been filled with loose-fill hemp wool and is topped with a 48 kWp photovoltaic system that provides renewable energy to the building. 

Circularity

Alongside its emphasis on local and sustainable materials, the renovation was guided by principles of circularity. Materials were chosen for their durability, and construction systems were designed for disassembly: allowing components to be separated, reused or recycled at the end of life. The open-plan floorplate supports the building's long term adaptability, allowing the interior to accommodate changing uses without major structural intervention.

“The office barn does not regard the existing building as a constraint, but as a valuable resource. Through the sensitive transformation of a historic agricultural building, an identity-rich place has emerged—one that preserves history, conserves resources and opens up new perspectives for the future.” 

— Steinbach Schimmel Architekten