Vermont firm crafts minimalistic sculptor studio in farmhouse vernacular

Birdseye, architect in Richmond, Virginia, has designed an artist’s studio for a stone sculptor in the Champlain Valley in Williston, Vermont, drawing inspiration from the client’s sculptural language and the existing structures on the horse farm site.

The studio is built on the artist Richard Erdman’s residence, an 8.1-ha (20-acre) working horse farm. The parcel includes multiple agrarian metal structures functioning as stables, hay storage, and equipment storage. The studio structure is defined by a cantilevered shed, clad in corrugated Corten steel panels, influenced by the farm’s existing metal-clad buildings. Structural steel members are exposed under the roof overhang and inside the studio. A hydraulic loading door with a flush threshold provides rolling access to the main studio space. Inside the door, a jib crane aids in the installation and removal of large-scale sculptures. Steel pedestals with casters allow the sculptures to be both easily moved and displayed.

The project site was established at the northwestern corner of the farmyard to serve as a bookend to the existing buildings and paddocks. A raised plinth elevates the building above rolling pastures, providing distant views of the Adirondack Mountains across the valley.

The landscape design takes cues from the horse pastures. The plinth is captured by wooden guardrails that mimic the fencing of neighboring paddocks. The ground cover is compacted stone, extending to an infinity edge at concrete walls to the south and west, and to a Corten steel edge to the east and north.

The interior spaces are minimal and open. A monumental steel shelving display is integrated into the space and window composition. The interior wall and ceiling finishes are black to contrast with the marble sculptures. Custom large scale metal pivot doors open into the white plaster office space and library. A large custom wood cabinet provides storage and maquette display, and a polished concrete floor adds to the durability, functionality, and overall minimalistic aesthetic.

Ecological sensitivity is an important consideration in the project. The building is all-electric, forgoing any use of fossil fuels on site. Heating and cooling are provided by an electric heat pump system, and ventilation is provided by large doors and operable windows. Natural plaster and Swedish pine tar finishes contribute to healthy indoor air quality (IAQ). Abundant natural light is supplemented by light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures that are purposeful to the sculptures. The permeable stone surface surrounding the building helps capture runoff and mitigate erosion through the site.