The Sixteen-Oak Barn, created by HilberinkBosch architects, is a project rooted in local tradition and sustainable, on-site material reuse. Faced with the necessity of felling seven century-old oak trees on their estate near 's-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands, architects Annemariken Hilberink and Geert Bosch made the decision to repurpose the ailing timber themselves rather than selling it to a paper factory. This resourceful approach led to the construction of a new multi-purpose barn adjacent to their studio, which is housed in a converted farmhouse. The design of the Sixteen-Oak Barn draws inspiration from the traditional farmhouses of the Meierij region, which historically incorporated various functions into a single structure.

The architects made use of every part of the felled oak trees, supplemented by a couple of additional oaks from the nearby Wamberg estate. A mobile sawmill was brought to the site to cut the best-quality core sections of the trunks into structural timber for the frames, roof, and façade. The asymmetrical roof, which features a steep and a low-pitched side, was covered with durable shingles made from smaller sections of oak. The rough-hewn exterior siding was created using pieces of timber with the bark still attached, which gives the façade a textured, organic appearance. The project also embraces the imperfections found in the materials, including marks left by remnants of barbed wire and shrapnel embedded in the old trees, which add to the building's character. The remaining waste wood was chopped and set aside for use as firewood to heat the building during colder months.

The barn itself is a blend of rustic and modern aesthetics, incorporating a minimal palette of natural materials: oak, concrete, and glass. Inside, the exposed timber frame is paired with board-formed concrete walls, creating surfaces with unique patterns left by the sapwood used for the forms. Large glass panels and slatted windows allow light to flood into the interior. The 1,300-square-foot structure is divided into three main areas: a carport, a storage room, and a workshop that doubles as a meeting space for the firm. Above the storage room is an open loft space that overlooks the workshop area.

Credits

Architects: Annemariken Hilberink and Geert Bosch of HILBERINKBOSCH Architecten

Contractor: Zandenbouw, Aarle-Rixtel

Photography: René de Wit