Schack Arkitektur converts 300-year-old Danish barn into studio for artist Michael Kvium
Danish painter Michael Kvium has moved his studio into a historic barn in the south of Zealand, Denmark, following a major upgrade by architect Martin Schack.
The Schack Arkitektur founder oversaw a sensitive restoration of the 300-year-old shed, while also incorporating clever new features that include a pair of huge sliding walls.
The project preserves the history of the structure, while also providing Kvium with a state-of-the-art workspace where he can easily work on several large canvases simultaneously.
The artist previously had a studio in Copenhagen, but it didn't give him enough space for paintings of up to 20 metres in length.
"He wanted to be able to gain distance from the big canvases," Schack told Dezeen. "He often works on many paintings at once and wanted to avoid having to move things around too much."
The 1,000-square-metre barn offered Kvium much more space, but it was in a poor state when the artist took it over.
Built in 1724, it was initially used by the army's cavalry, then converted into an air base in the 1930s. It was most recently used as a private residence, but much of the structure was already beyond repair at this point.
Schack reinstated as much of the original exterior as he could. The original fieldstone walls were carefully repaired, with traditional-style glazing installed below the brick lintels of the original window openings.
New timber panelling was installed above the stonework, featuring the same red paint and zigzag detailing of the previous structure. This was topped with a sheet metal roof, also following the proportions of its predecessor.
"The exterior of the building draws beautiful threads back through time," said Schack.
"The timber cladding is a copy of the original one-over-two board cladding, and the rafters were also profiled in keeping with the original form."
Some extra exterior details hint at the building's new use, the most obvious being the large windows that puncture the two gable endwalls.
Hit-and-miss slats provide a sunshade that partially conceals the south-facing window, while the north-facing window is fully exposed.
Inside, two stand-alone structures bookend an otherwise open hall. Built entirely from pine, they contain offices, storage space for canvases, a workshop and a brush room.
One also provides access to a small roof terrace, while the other leads through a smaller second barn containing additional offices.
The sliding walls extend lengthwise along the hall, with the largest measuring 22 by 5.5 metres. They move on a track system, allowing views through the windows to be either concealed or revealed.
A wide doorway allows large canvases to be easily moved in and out of the studio, while LED strips integrated into the ceiling offer daylight-quality illumination when working after dark.
Many of the details were developed through close collaboration between artist and architect.
"Michael had many thoughts about simple and functional surfaces, spatial qualities and about creating optimal conditions for his craft and his work," added Schack.
Other recent projects in Denmark include a gallery with an interior that draws on "Scandinavian simplicity" and student housing with an accordion-like facade.
The photography is by Niels Nygaard.
Project credits
Architect: Schack Arkitektur
Engineer: Dai
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