Instead of a pole barn or metal structure, the owners wanted their personal equine facility to mirror their antebellum home’s visual character, while staying true to the “horse barn” aesthetic. The result is a contemporary study in vernacular. Recalling the existing home’s solid stature, the barn’s white stucco is over CMU block. Where outdoor covered spaces project from the barn’s main structure, materials transition to wood, evoking a traditional post-and-beam barn. Finally, the metal roof is a simple, singular element that is common to coastal Florida architecture. These characteristics meld into a coherent whole that can stand on its own and match its varied surroundings.

The barn’s interior features its exposed roofing system in detailed wood. Shaded openings carry the cool breeze through. The lower part of the concrete block walls are furred with wood, so that the horses don’t damage their hooves if kicked. The floor is a rubberized paver that provides comfort to the horses while also being durable and cleanable.

Overlooking the fields on one of Vero’s remaining old citrus groves, the horse barn marries Southern charm, coastal comfort, and rural Florida farm life. With small changes to an established building type, a unique structure was created.