BLUE HILL AT STONE BARNS
Pocantico Hills, NY
Blue Hill at Stone Barns establishes a unique atmosphere of dining in a pastoral setting. The restaurant occupies various buildings that were part of a former dairy barn built by and nearby the John D. Rockefeller estate in Kykuit. The complex of Norman-style farm buildings, designed by Grosvenor Atterbury, was built in the early 1930’s. The property is home to the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, which is part of an 80 acre non-profit farm and nature preserve developed by David Rockefeller, Sr. and his daughter Peggy Dulany to 'demonstrate, teach, and promote sustainable, community-based food production' in the greater Hudson Valley region.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns is led by chef Dan Barber, and partners Laureen and David Barber, who work in concert with the Center to support, contribute, and implement its ideas into every aspect of the restaurant's cuisine and practices. Stone Barns is a literal application of the farm to table concept. Chef Barber tirelessly pursues new ideas of exploration and thinking about growing, preparing, serving, consuming, and recycling food and raw ingredients.
The original barn structures were intended to seamlessly coexist with new architectural elements using a spare palette of limestone, plaster, bronze, steel, and white oak. Vaults of critically required acoustical attenuating plaster were floated between the original steel trusses. Guzy Architects custom designed many of the furniture pieces and lamps, including several together with Chris Lehrecke. Blue Hill at Stone Barns frames views of the working farm, creating a backdrop to the restaurant’s idyllic setting that serves to remind us that its core values and inspiration comes directly from those very fields in clear view.
Many principles of LEED are evident in the 15,000 square foot project despite not having pursued accreditation. Included are the preservation of existing structures and high-performance rated MEP equipment. The project was awarded a NYSERDA certification for sustainability from the State of New York.
Project by Asfour Guzy Architects.
Photography:
Michael Moran
Press:
New York Times
Architectural Record
Awards:
James Beard Award Finalist for Outstanding Restaurant Design, 2005