Dreamweaver Equine Center

DREAMWEAVER EQUINE CENTER is a wellness therapeutic riding barn located in a bucolic agrarian setting in Ringoes, New Jersey. Providing equine-assisted activities and learning, Dreamweaver promotes a strength-based approach and psycho-educational lens to deliver a safe and culturally competent space that is inclusive and welcoming for all.

To accommodate the expanding therapy and educational program, a 4,000 SF fit-out of the vacant second level hayloft in their existing stable was designed to provide interior program space to support the mission of Dreamweaver Equine Center. On the renovated second level, program participants are welcomed into the Hall of Horses before moving on to a studio room or classrooms. All spaces are designed to be flexible and respond to changing needs. On the gable end of the barn, a large expanse of glass provides a view to the surrounding landscape and joins skylights and dormers in funneling natural light into the space. A deck perched outside one of the classrooms and an adjoining stair offer direct access to the fields below.

The second level draws on the barn aesthetic and is further inspired by the outdoors and the resident animals. The design for the fit-out at Dreamweaver Equine Center incorporates wood beams, columns, paneled walls and open ceiling, sliding barn doors, and playful barn red accents seen in doors, a sink, and lighting pendants throughout. Shapes, forms, and colors to which children would respond positively were selected. A bright studio with accessible restrooms provides space for meals, crafts, and other individual and group activities. Materials are warm and inviting, yet durable, easy to maintain, and not overstimulating. The Hall of Horses includes benches and built-in cubbies for storage of personal items and outerwear to facilitate the transition from arrival to the indoor studio and classrooms.