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Skeleton of Steel

The building is composed of steel, concrete block, glass block, and polycarbonate glazing. Every object in the "Iron Studio" shows the marks of its makers' hands: every bolt and weld is exposed. Even the fabricator's coding on the steel beams is purposely visible. A bridge crane runs along the building's central axis, resembling the steel structure that supports it.

"Basically, the school needed a big, flexible, well lit, well ventilated shed where they could do their blacksmithing," says Harmon, who has built a reputation for sustainable building designs. "The best way to give them that was to make a rigid frame structure out of steel. This allows them to completely reorganize the plan, if they needed to, because none of the enclosing or interior partitions are load-bearing."

This approach helped the architect meet a tight budget of only $480,000 for a 5,500-square-foot (510-square-meter) structure. The open environment also cuts down on energy costs. The building is naturally ventilated with cool mountain breezes that do away with the need for air conditioning despite the high heat gain from the 12 coal-fired forges that occupy the perimeter of the voluminous workspace.

Roll-up doors 24 feet (7.3 meters) wide by 12 feet (3.7 meters) high open the interior to the surrounding mountains. In the cold winter months, the roll-up doors are closed to keep in the heat from the forges.

The open environment also provides abundant natural light. Six stainless steel flues vent forge smoke through the corrugated iron roof which is cut away at the ridge for a skylight that runs the length of the studio. However, because the students work at all hours of the day and night, fluorescent lights were installed to supplement the daylight.

"When you work in the studio, it feels like you are under a big tent," Harmon says. "The walls are 8 feet (2.4 meters) high and the roof starts at 12 feet (3.7 meters), so there's a 4-foot (1.2-meter) strip window that goes around the perimeter. The building looks the same on the inside as it does on the outside. That was important to us."

Two decks and a large, south-facing entry porch provide outdoor workspaces. The porch's orientation is an important part of the design. In the summertime the workspace is shaded by the roof overhang, but in the wintertime the sun shines directly onto it.

Those conditions make it a pleasant place to work year round while revealing breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. In fact, the views of rolling hills and humming forests nestled among the Roan and Black Mountains of North Carolina were other inspirations behind the studio's open design.

Site Sensitivities

In efforts to minimize damage to the site, Harmon designed a long, thin building because, he says, "fat" building plans do not work well on hillsides. The Iron Studio nestles into the terrain to leave the natural environment of rhododendrons, pines, and oaks undisturbed.

The mountain location did provide some challenges, however. Getting delivery trucks to the site was difficult, and there was no temporary power during much of the construction. Harmon's original design had to be changed when an inaccuracy was discovered in the topographic survey. He had to relocate one of the cold storage bins to the other side of the building.

In the spirit of tradition, Harmon wanted a floor that would resemble the dirt floors of blacksmith shops 200 years ago. He settled for poured concrete floors, which were blackened to give the effect he sought. The steel beams were left unfinished, with only a deep-red primer coat that Harmon says reflects the beauty of the natural environment.

Visitors to the Iron Studio often mention that it reminds them of a cathedral. "It's very uplifting to walk inside and see this beautiful roof with light filtering down," Harmon says. Much of the building's form may have been designed for practical reasons, he adds, "but there is something very moving about the way the light shines."

Others have been moved by the design as well. Since it was completed in 2000, the studio has received several design awards from state and regional chapters of the American Institute of Architects. The building was chosen as one of just ten projects to receive a Business Week/ Architectural Record Award in 2004.

According to the BW/AR jury, the Iron Studio "celebrates the craft of iron-making in a noble way. There's something very powerful about hand-crafted/ human-crafted materials. And this facility has contributed to making it a more popular art form."

Within the first year of operation, the studio's enrollment doubled and, according to the school, future courses are fully booked. That popularity, along with the awards the project continues to amass, have increased the school's visibility and reset the standard for other craft disciplines at Penland.

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Jennifer LeClaire is a freelance writer based in Miami Beach, Florida, specializing in architecture and design.

Blacksmithing studio for the Penland School of Arts & Crafts designed by Frank Harmon, AIA. Photo: Timothy Hursley When the huge doors are rolled up, the front entrance opens to reveal the entire interior. Photo: Timothy Hursley Northwest facing back deck. Photo: Jim West Site and floor plan, blacksmithing studio, Penland School of Arts & Crafts. Image: Frank Harmon Structural scheme of the blacksmithing studio. Image: Frank Harmon Interior workspace with overhead crane. Photo: Timothy Hursley The open structure provides ample daylight and ventilation. Photo: Timothy Hursley Front entrance and loading dock. Photo: Jim West   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.