From Beast to Beauty

BEFORE PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIBURN. AFTER PHOTO: FRANCOIS GAGNE COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHIE

The transformation of a Falmouth barn into a high-performance home

By June Donenfeld

WHEN THIS ONE-BEDROOM, open-plan gem in Falmouth was built in the 1970s as a barn-cum-workshop out of a hodgepodge of reused materials, it had no insulation, no running water to speak of, and an electrical system that was barely code-compliant. But when new owners Stephen Peck, an interior designer, and his husband, John Messner, saw it half a century later, they knew that under the dust and droppings it had the potential to become a magnificent and modern high-performance home.

Architect Chris Briley of BRIBURN Architecture worked closely with Emerald Builders to design a super-insulated, well-sealed building envelope and create plans that would transform the building and preserve the elements that gave it its unique qualities. Emerald removed all the lead paint, redid the foundation, leveled and straightened the structure, removed old trusses, and added wood and steel beams for support. To insulate and air seal, they used recycled rigid foam board, dense-pack cellulose, and a “smart barrier” that is both vapor-open and airtight, achieving an airtightness level far better than even the Passive House standard. They also installed an air exchange system for fresh, filtered air and heat pumps for warmth.

The most remarkable feature of the home is the first-level flooring, which is composed entirely of World War II Liberty ship deck hatches reinforced with steel and bronze and installed by the original owners. Of 2,710 Liberty ships, 250 were built in Maine.

Peck and Messner brought in their art collection, featuring Art Deco pieces, creating a beautiful juxtaposition of the rough and the refined, the old and the new, all of it underpinned by a design and high-performance features that transformed a rather neglected beast into the beauty it is today— inside and out.