Red Fire Farm is a local organic CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm much beloved in our area. In February of 2024, the farm suffered a tragic fire, with their barn and farm store burning to the ground. In fall of 2024, Red Farm Farm was awarded a Massachusetts State Agricultural Grant for $500k to rebuild—with the stipulation that the money be spent and the project be complete by July 1st. Working to support this incredibly aggressive timeline, Ko-LAB architecture started meeting weekly with the client to develop schematic design options. Simultaneously, students in Darling's Intermediate Environmental Principles course were using the Red Fire Farm Program and Site to develop further ideas for consideration.

 

The Schematic Design solution was developed by the end of 2024 with a long barn running north-south at the edge of the site building boundary. To the north is the farm store with a wrap-around porch for produce display and curb appeal. To the south are the two cold storage containers, a work area, and a loading dock. Separating the two is a covered breezeway, allowing guests to walk through to the pick-your-own fields and eventually stop for an ice cream or sandwich on the way back.

 

The project has faced complex regulatory challenges with land in protected farmland status, adjacent wetlands, and health requirements for any facility serving food to the public. Working off of the general schematic design, the clients wanted a New England barn to replace their former store, and a local timber framer was brought on as the general contractor for the project. The timber frame was pre-cut off-site using all locally harvested wood and assembled on-site in less than two weeks. The project is currently under construction and will be complete by the end of the year. Thankfully, the project was granted an extension to the initial (impossible) grant timeline.