PowerPods for Yellow Barn School and Festival

Greenwood School campus, Putney VT, Summer 2008

Eight new, green, energy efficient modular studios of 336 sf each, on rural campus of operating boarding school

Objectives:

• Site planning and installation of eight new buildings onto the existing campus without disturbing ongoing operations, routine, or creating hazards for the student body
• Acoustic separation from Pod to Pod and high-quality interior sound performance
• Very healthy, energy efficient buildings that would be easily integrated into the campus, fun to look at and fun to use for students

Yellow Barn (YB) is an internationally acclaimed chamber music program that trains young, highly accomplished, professional musicians, focusing on performance and presentation.  YB negotiated a land-sharing arrangement with Greenwood (GW), allowing YB to return to Putney VT, the birthplace of the school and festival.  Seth Knopp, YB’s Artistic Director, envisioned erecting several small buildings on the campus, using remoteness as sound insulation. 

Working with a Baltimore-based architect, YB also wanted the new studio spaces to be as green as possible without breaking the bank.  While conducting research into green design options, the architect came across the PowerPod – she was hooked.  In time, so was Seth.  They contacted PowerHouse and John became their architect (thank you very much to our colleague in Baltimore). 

Stressing the value of green, both in terms of occupant happiness and energy efficiency, John also asserted that thermal insulation can also act as acoustic insulation.  Using a PH home that was under construction at the time (see 19 Field St), the building type was tested for sound.  As it turned out, with the triple-paned windows and exterior doors closed, one could hear almost nothing of the music being played on the interior. 

Additionally, using the site plan as a guide, John also set the windows for each Pod in such a way as to permit them to be open during nice weather, but to act as sound baffles, effectively pushing the sound away from nearby Pods.  The result is eight autonomous buildings dotted about the Greenwood campus.  They serve YB as studio spaces and ensemble performance rooms during the summer and GW as classrooms during the regular school season.  The solar PV arrays atop the three meadow Pods provide enough electricity to offset the energy use of all eight buildings throughout the year.  John also put his industrial design experience to work for YB, designing sound reflecting panels for the interiors.  Each panel is a beautiful piece of furniture, made from caramelized bamboo – to match the floors, of course!