GREEN ARCHITECTUREDespite having limited building expertise, Ken Downs followed intuition and common sense in developing a very environmentally friendly venue for weddings and events. As his architect and General Contractor, I was part of his advisory team from early planning, and the first decision was to re-use. He decided to renovate an old dilapidated barn rather than build a new building. Demolition was selective, as removed components were saved for re-use elsewhere on this 242 acre property in Temecula Wine Country. Old wood fencing which had outlived its function as a fence was re-used in the building at the ceiling and at the bar. The project’s beautiful setting inspired Ken and project consultant Alvaro Corzo to insist on a huge amount of operable, oversize sliding barn doors. So ventilation is natural for most events, and integrates the indoors with David Klages beautiful landscapes. Skylights and clear story windows provide amply daylight and reduce the need for lighting. In many places, regulations and incentives spur builders to seek energy efficient designations of as LEED certification. Here, a breath of fresh air -common sense and practicality proved to be the only incentives needed.
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AuthorGlen Daigle is an architect and developer with 30+ years of experience building unique commercial and residential buildings. ArchivesCategories |