Search
Bank barn typology, reimagined in weathered steel and restraint.
At the edge of a wooded slope in Columbia County, New York, Ridge Barn by Worrell Yeung sits low and assured. Designed as a companion to Ridge House, it’s a structure shaped by grade, geometry, and material. Wrapped entirely in weathering steel, this corten steel house takes cues from the region’s vernacular bank barns—but strips them back to essentials. Its form is deliberate, geometric, and silent. A single material—weathering steel—wraps both roof and walls, giving the building a solid, sculptural presence that quietly changes over time.
The house draws from the tradition of vernacular bank barns in the region, which were typically embedded into hillsides to allow for multi-level access. Here, Worrell Yeung uses that logic to organize the structure into two levels: above, a guest suite and fitness studio; below, utility spaces including a wine cellar, bike workshop, and a pool house.
Material Logic and Framed Views
As a corten steel house, Ridge Barn is defined not by adornment, but by structure and material. The breezeway, carved through the upper level, creates a strong axial line that opens to a dramatic view of the Taconic Mountains. Charred wood contrasts the weathered metal in this transitional space, framing the experience of passage between zones.
Inside, the guest bunkhouse includes a kitchenette, built-ins, and a lofted sleeping platform. Even the lighting—two custom Lambert & Fils fixtures designed by Worrell Yeung—reflects a commitment to clarity and composition.
Weathered, Durable, Intentional
The corten steel house is no longer a novelty in architectural language—but few projects use it as deliberately as Ridge Barn. Here, the material isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s a barometer. Over time, the steel will shift with the climate, slowly inscribing the passage of seasons across its surface.
“We wanted Ridge Barn to have its own identity, while still maintaining a connection to the main house and the surrounding site,” says Jejon Yeung, co-founder of Worrell Yeung. “It’s a building that will continue to evolve with the land.”
At once utilitarian and composed, Ridge Barn redefines what a modern corten steel house can be—less an object of attention than a structure in quiet dialogue with its environment.
