Inside and out, visitors to Breckenridge’s Fuqua Livery Stable see the structure almost as it appeared when the livery was in business in 1880.
Last week, the town of Breckenridge received the Stephen H. Hart award for its innovative rehabilitation of the livery.
Renovation took more than a year. First, the livery had to be taken apart in panels. Because the barn was built directly on the earth, some walls had sunk below ground level, destroying wood that had to be replaced.
After pouring a new foundation, architect Peter Stewart had contractors install a sturdy steel frame to support the original roof and provide a skeleton for what Stewart calls “the historic fabric” — the old walls — and the new glass panels.
“Out of this context, the glass panels are the most ordinary walls around, same thing you see on the front of stores,” Stewart said.
“The walls are self-supporting, kind of a curtain wall, a wall that holds itself, but stands between columns. From the exterior, the barn appears as it did in the 1880s. Inside, you can see the wood structure, while meeting code.”
The glass helps insulate the building, which now houses three artist studios. The rehabilitated livery has plumbing and electricity, including the lighting that showcases the historic walls.
“We were a little concerned about the glass walls on the inside, because we didn’t want the glass to turn to mirror,” Stewart said.
“So we came up with unobtrusive lighting between the glass and the historic fabric. It certainly lights all the wood, and it’s quite beautiful.” Claire Martin
