The timber frame structure forms a large central volume open across all floors that houses a pickleball court with upper mezzanines at each end of the barn. This layout required a narrow connector to facilitate circulation between the mezzanines. Made of steel, the bridge provides a dramatic contrast to the timbers. The relative delicacy of the steelwork compared to the heft of the adjacent timber structure deemphasizes the catwalk, making it less of an intrusion as it passes through the central court area. The apparent lightness of the slender steel sections, combined with the bar grating that forms the walking surface, allows plenty of natural light to enter the space from the adjacent windows.

Peter Anderson designed the steel structure around two welded frames that serve as lateral braces between the timber posts and tie beams. These braces are usually diagonal timbers, which would have interfered with circulation along the outer wall. The structure’s steel brace frames were conceived as rectangular portals that both brace the timber structure and support the secondary steel catwalk. The portals themselves are formed by a continuous T-shape of welded steel plate. The top and outer extensions of the T are mortised into the timbers and through-bolted, while the inner and lower T sections suspend and support the steel channels spanning the space between mezzanines. When viewed from anywhere other than the catwalk, this portal frame configuration presents as a very thin steel plate enhancing the contrast between the steel and wood structures.

Location: Phippsburg
Architect: Peter Anderson
Builder: Houses & Barns by John Libby
Landscape Architect: Cowles Studio
Construction Start: Fall 2024
Construction Complete: Summer 2025