Green Renovation Adds a Modern Touch To Historic Austrian Barn

Historic <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/02/06/renovation-horizontal-dairy-farm-somerset/">barns</a> and <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/04/06/old-dairy-barn-converted-into-an-eco-home-filled-with-rustic-charm/">farm buildings</a> have a special charm that can never be duplicated. Its a shame to tear them down, but they leave something lacking in the modern world, like good insulation, lighting, and so on. <a href="http://www.propellerz.at/html/index.php?z=n.151" target="_blank">Propeller Z Architects</a> gave a 200-year old barnhouse in Fahndorf, Austria a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/renovation/" target="_blank">green renovation</a> that retained its charm while creating a space where its residents could comfortably live. Spotted over at <a href="http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/11170/propeller-z-flag.html" target="_blank">Designboom</a>, the 'Flag' project's use of local and recycled materials make it even lighter on the earth.

Located in Fahndorf, Austria, 'Flag' is a green renovation of a 200 year-old u-shaped barn.

The historic barn held both livestock and the family's living quarters. Rather than tear it down, the new owners wanted a modern upgrade that retained the building's historic charm.

The new addition fits neatly into the corner of the existing barnhouse, but does not actually touch it.

The slender, modern addition sits above the existing grade of the barn and is clad in steel, wood and glass.

Before the addition the barnhouse backed into the earth, leaving only the peaked roof visible from the back meadow. Now the addition helps connect the entire compound to the land.

The North facade is skinned with a stacked wood in an aesthetic nod towards firewood used for heating, plus it adds another layer of insulation and protection.

The existing barn remains mostly as-is, and the new addition helps provide a larger protected courtyard below.

The livestock barn now serves as an outdoor covered living space.

The living area inside the barn is bright and modern.

The new addition is located next to the original barn and is accessed via an external covered staircase.

The new addition looks out over the back meadow through large floor-to-ceiling windows. Recycled newspaper were used to insulate the renovation.

The entire renovation was completed on a budget of 70,000 euros.

The new addition houses the kitchen and living spaces of the home.