Historic Painter Barn

IN SERVICE FOR NEARLY 200 YEARS, the Painter Barn is believed to be one of the largest remaining 3-level bank barns in the Delaware Valley. Originally serving the descendants of John J. Tyler and the family farm, the barn’s history includes roles as an animal barn, an equipment and hay storage barn, an office, education center, and storage facility. Wanting to secure the longevity and continued purposefulness of the barn, the Arboretum set out to integrate the building into the educational, cultural and social activities of the organization and increase its usability as a public venue.

In addition to providing offices and classroom space, the barn now includes assembly space with accessible restrooms, mezzanine, serving bar, banquet storage, kitchen, and event function spaces. A significant challenge of the Painter Barn project was striking the proper balance between preserving and restoring historical aspects of the barn while introducing alterations and modernizations required for both the stabilization of the structure as well as for its adaptation to serve new purposes.

2018 WoodWorks Wood Design Award