Chester Springs Entertainment Barn Renovation

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One of the most recognizable ancillary structures in Pennsylvania is the bank barn. Built into the region’s rolling hills, this form, dating from the 1700’s, represents an ingenious use of natural topography to create a sloped “bank” access to the upper level for unloading hay, while the warm lower level housed farm animals.

At the end of a tree-lined drive, the Chester Springs Entertainment Barn Renovation sits upon a sprawling property. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this bucolic homestead was originally a 35-acre dairy farm. The 1712 farmhouse, with 1930s additions by renowned Pennsylvania architect Brognard Okie, sits beside the barn.

The Chester Springs Entertainment Barn Renovation utilizes the existing barn framework, with its traditional timber framing, while transforming the barn into a multifaceted place for entertainment. The original footprint of the barn offered the opportunity to create intimate gathering nooks among the open-concept plan with a custom bar, guest suite, and kitchen. Once dimly lit, the barn now receives abundant natural light from new windows along the rear wall and a cupola that shines 30 feet overhead. Pastoral design details like hand-forged wrought iron, restored woodwork, and a monumental fireplace infuse a rugged warmth into the structure.

The design goal was to revitalize the historic fabric of the bank barn while introducing durable materials to improve the longevity of the barn to last the next century and beyond. The evolution from barnyard bastion to an epicenter of entertainment required a respect for the past with an eye for the future.

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