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There are only two authentic round barns left in California; the DeTurk Round Barn in Santa Rosa is one. Built in 1891 to house trotters, and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the barn was a unique opportunity to update an iconic landmark in Santa Rosa’s historic district.
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Photo © Big Ass Fans
The new flooring is reclaimed oak from shipping containers.
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KEY PARAMETERS
Location Santa Rosa, California
Gross area 8,300 ft<sup>2</sup>
Completed April 2011
Cost $2.2 million
TEAM & SOURCES
Wood Roseburg Forest Products, Weyerhaeuser
Flooring Viridian
Sloped roof AnC Roofing cedar shingles
The city entrusted local TLCD Architecture with the sensitive renovation, and the architects produced agile solutions. During construction, the entire barn was raised on hydraulic lifts for several months to allow for the construction of a concrete foundation and a floor slab. In order to preserve the historical integrity of the barn, all interior wood framing was left exposed; no insulation or interior finishes were added. Existing redwood posts or beams that could not be reused were remilled into paneling at the stairwells. The result is a tranquil cylindrical space into which new programmatic elements are discreetly tucked. Storage and restrooms are within the ring, while stairs and an elevator give access to a mezzanine.
In addition to cultural reasons, there are many environmental incentives to preserve an existing round form. Studies on the efficiency of round barns have determined that a circular structure is much stronger than a rectangle. A rectangular form requires 22 percent more wall and foundation to enclose the same space. The round barn offers much greater strength and is secured with less lumber than would be possible in a rectangular building.
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