Tobacco Barn Transformed Into Visitor Center for Botanical Gardens

A historic tobacco barn located on the <a href="http://www.yewdellgardens.org/" target="_blank">Yew Dell Gardens</a> in Crestwood, Kentucky was recently rehabilitated into a new visitor and welcome center for the historic gardens that surround it. The barn was transformed into an exterior shade structure and a newly constructed building now sits within. Designed and built by Louisville, Kentucky based <a href="http://www.deleon-primmer.com/">De Leon &amp; Primmer Architecture Workshop</a>, a short building time frame, a tight budget, historic preservation and energy efficient design garnered this project a <a href="http://www.aiaky.org/byMonthNewsArchive.php?recordDate=2010-10-20#1" target="_blank">2010 AIA Kentucky Honor Award</a>.

The Yew Dell Gardens were originally built by horticulturalist &amp; nurseryman Theodore Klein back in 1943, and includes a variety of unique gardens and hundreds of plants.

After Klein's death in 1998, the garden was threatened by new developments. In an effort to save the beautiful project, the botanical gardens became part of the Garden Conservancy, which is a national organization dedicated to saving and preserving America’s exceptional gardens.

In this past year, the gardens received private funding to add a visitor and welcome center to the botanical gardens. De Leon &amp; Primmer Architecture Workshop was brought on to facilitate the rehabilitation of the historic tobacco barn.

A building within a building was created to serve as the visitor center, while the historic barn was stabilized and serves as a shade structure protecting the space within.

The new visitor center includes a reception area with information and tickets sales, gift shop, plant sale area, group tour meeting zone, internet sales office, and storage.

During low humidity periods, large frameless glass doors can be left open to increase the size of the space.

The use of natural light was a key design element that transforms the building throughout the day.

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Light filters in through the slats in the barn and through the large doors, bouncing off and filtering through the glass walls and doors.

The palette of materials for the project is kept simply using sealed concrete for the floors of the barn, tempered glass along with milk-painted tongue &amp; groove wood siding.

Strict historic preservation guidelines were followed, and the new construction is clearly differentiated from the existing structure through light-colored interior wood plank surfaces and material contrasts.

Use of the shade structure, natural ventilation and daylighting help minimize energy use within the visitor center.

The visitor center is located near the entry of the garden, and at night the barn becomes a glowing lantern shining out from inside through the barn slats.