Case Study: 18th Century Barn Reconstruction

THE CHALLENGE

Solar Innovations, Inc. was contacted for a unique project in Allentown, Pennsylvania. An 18th Century Pennsylvania Dutch Barn was being restored to house and display classic cars. The barn was originally constructed with stone walls and a beautiful wood roof supported by 8” x 12” beams. The aesthetic of the barn reflected the traditional style and early American craftsmanship of its time. This was the perfect choice to create the ideal showroom for classic cars, however, the entrance needed to be updated in order to better showcase the cars. The design needed to maintain the simplicity and elegance of the barn, while providing large openings for moving cars in and out of the large barn, as well as unobstructed interior and exterior views. 

THE SOLUTION

Solar Innovations, Inc. worked with the architect to provide several product options that would satisfy the various aesthetic and function requirements. The project included sliding glass doors, pivot doors, and folding glass walls. The wide selection of doors was chosen based on the openings and their function. Some folding glass walls folded into the interior space, while others folded to the exterior. A custom gray Duracron finish was selected to match other elements of the exterior. The glass choice was Cardinal’s 1” insulated glass, which comes with a 20-year seal warranty and a high performance LoE coating. The model of folding glass wall selected was the patented G3 Marine Glazed system, which provides the narrowest vertical sight lines in the industry. The glass expanse of this folding glass wall system dominates the eye. The vertical members separating each folding panel are very narrow at only 2 ¾” wide. The system maximizes the percentage of glass versus aluminum frame; the design intent for this system was to provide increased visual access for looking out to beautiful landscapes. However, in this case, the system increases the visual access for looking into a room full of classic automobiles.