Reclaimed materials form simple geometries in this farmhouse in North Carolina by design-build firm Buildsense, which sought to balance the modern appeal of a contemporary home with the cosiness of a rustic farm.
Horseshoe Farm is located in the small town of Creedmoor. The clients wished for a home to retire in that would allow them to live comfortably and sustainably on their family farm.

"The Horseshoe Farm Residence is the forever home for a sustainable-minded couple who lived upon and utilised their site for over 15 years before moving forward with the design and construction," said Buildsense.

"They told us the story of their grandfather on whose farm nothing went to waste," the firm continued. "He would deconstruct older structures when beyond repair, remove every nail, and fastidiously hammer them back to straight form for reuse. New structures were planned for durability, utility, and longevity." The longitudinal two-storey home is oriented on the east-west axis to maximise the building's southern exposure. It is covered by a pitched roof clad in corrugated steel, which allows the home to be heated by the winter sun while shading the facade in the summertime.

Because of the site's uneven topography, the home's lower level is partially sunken into the ground. Here, the architects included generous spaces for entertaining visitors, including a guest bedroom and a small nook containing a queen-sized bed.

A central service core contain...