An ecologically minded event center on the Central Illinois prairie.
Completed Spring 2018
An aging machine shed sat atop one of the largest hills in Champaign County overlooking an expansive prairie restoration. The client was wanting to convert this building – her grandfather’s old workshop from the 1960s – into a new event center. Her goal was to create a space that provided modern amenities and paid homage to her family’s history while being compatible with the natural setting.
The existing structural system is a series of 3-hinged trusses that march down the spine of the building, and it serves as the main event space. The skeleton-like structure and its corrugated metal skin are exposed on the interior, with an exterior finish wall and ceiling to provide insulation. Given the large span of the interior, the structure needed remediation to strengthen the construction and prevent roof deflection. To address this issue while allowing the original bones of the shed to shine through, I devised a series of steel plates and tension rods to reinforce the existing framework.
New construction includes a vestibule on the north side and support spaces on the east side, as well as exterior spaces to take advantage of the stunning panoramic prairie views. The support spaces include storage, space for a bar, a multi-use space, and bathrooms. The existing shed door opens to a southern facing patio so that events can spill into the landscape.
In order to be sympathetic to the setting, prairie grasses are part of the landscaping which culminate to a prairie vista with a fire pit. The siding is a shou sugi ban cedar siding with some natural cedar accents. Shou sugi ban is a Japanese process of charring wood to create a natural black finish that also preserves the wood. This is a subtle nod to the fires that at one time swept across the Central Illinois prairie. The building’s charred black exterior protects the interior of the building, much like the bark of the native Burr Oak.
Builder: Lee Reifsteck, CDR Construction
A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.
-Aldo Leopold
