Project overview:Land’s Sake is a non-profit community farm that donates 30% of its produce for hunger relief to communities in need. The Farmstand and Animal Barn are the result of a 7-year pro bono effort that began with a master plan. Buildings are sited to preserve the “infinite vista” through the heart of the historic site and explore the craft and materiality of “First Settlers” building techniques, with a confident nod toward modernity. The projects work together to utilize a range of sustainable principles and practices, including shading and building orientation, heavy timber construction, high-performance building enclosures, ventilation and heat recovery systems and photovoltaics resulting in a net zero farm.
The Farmstand is at home in a New England landscape surrounded by historic homes and agrarian structures; it is a model for sustainable construction, demonstrating how buildings can be functional, beautiful and environmentally conscious by showcasing a unique blend of traditional and cutting-edge techniques. Designed as a flexible pavilion, the animal barn is wrapped in large sliding panels allowing the space to open and transform for different needs connecting the space to the farmland.
Project location: Weston, Massachusetts
Firm name: PAYETTE
Completion: 2025
Jury comments: Land’s Sake Farm is a project where architecture, craft, and community come together in a way that feels both intentional and lively. The building is legible, allowing visitors to understand its structure and purpose while engaging with the farm’s educational and communal programs. Its use of traditional building methods combined with contemporary engineering creates a sense of continuity with the past while supporting present-day needs. Attention to materiality, texture, and sensory experience, from the smells and light of the barn to the flow of spaces, heightens the impact of the project. Entirely community-funded, the farm transcends its program by embracing a broad constituency, providing access, education, and sustenance, ultimately demonstrating how architecture can support both people and place in meaningful ways.
Client: Land’s Sake Farm
Images/Photographer(s): Warren Jagger Photography; Robert Benson Photography Project or Construction Manager: Bowdoin Construction (Farmstand); Hybrid Construction (Animal Barn) Civil Engineer: VHB Structural: SGH Mechanical: BR+A Electrical: BR+A Plumbing: BR+A Heavy Timber: Hardwick Post & Beam Landscaping: PAYETTE Fabrication: PAYETTE
