A gorgeous fusion of old and new, this dwelling incorporates historic stone walls already on the building site, tapping into the leftover structural walls and foundation of a bygone barn.

In this gorgeous adaptive reuse project by McGarry-Moon Architects (images by Adam Currie) in Northern Ireland, the historic structural stone of a crumbling ruined barn segues into contemporary metal and wood siding, creating a lovely juxtaposition of past and present materials, balancing weathered history and streamlined modernity.

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As compelling as the finished product of this historic renovation is, the process photographs really help tell the story of preservation and architectural adaptation involved in this sensitive intervention. Existing walls had to be tested, stabilized, sliced, capped and protected before introducing the new steel frame (and in turn finer-grid wooden frame) for the additional sections of house. Each intersection required careful planning and execution. The result of the barn remodel is clearly worthwhile, however, proving that we shouldn’t demolish old structures just because they’re no longer usable in their current condition.

“This unassuming residence is a responsive configuration of skilfully contained views from the interior the manipulation of natural light combined with fluid, informal spaces allowing us to create architecture that has some dramatic moments but does not overly dominate the character of the existing stone barn. The house is surprising which engages people and allows the dwelling a unique character without having to resort to reproducing a replica of the past.”

“The original stone structure, the splendid views of ‘Slemish’ and the desire for comfortable understated interiors were the principles that focused us as architects. The preservation and consolidation of the stone structure was fundamental in achieving an architecture where the old and new complemented each other. Thus the residence was designed by fusing new technologies with older building techniques whilst incorporating sustainability ideals in order to create a rural architecture for the 21st century, rather than simply remodeling or recreating the methods and manners of the past.”

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