Informal Architecture in West Virginia
A couple summers ago one of my best friends had a wedding back home in West Virginia. I was a groomsman and wore cowboy boots and jeans specifically. It was a country wedding to say the least. The wedding took place on the soon to be wife's farm. Her family owned a mid sized farm in the valley next to a small stream. The farm wasn't anything crazy, some chickens, couple cows, few dogs, and maybe some other birds if I could recall. For the wedding the bride's father (the primary owner of the farm) decided to build 3 different structures specifically for the wedding. These structures included an eating barn, outdoor 2 story pavilion with a loft and sleeping quarters, along with a dance hall barn. He and some of his immediate family built all 3 structures within the 9 months building up to the wedding. The buildings wer impressive in size but definitely not structurally sized to code. I had never seen such small columns and beams holding up such large spans! I was astonished wood would even be pushed so far. Never had I seen such structures being used for a 'commercial' purpose. Nor am I sure this was technically allowed. While the structures worked fine for the entire reception, I was amazed in the construction and un-speced details. It looked different, instantly different, but interesting. Similar to architecture of Spain that isn't legal, in many cases it looks strange and odd, but creates interest through its uniqueness.
I finally got the chance to talk to the bride's dad and compliment his hard work. We chat for a while and I had to ask, "How did all this pass code??". He replies, "Aye buddy I got a farm, I don't need no inspectors". By having x amount of chickens, y amount of cows, z amount of horses with whatever minimum amount of acres of land, he was able to classify his property as a "farm" and in return receive: tax breaks, get government incentives, and be able to build any 'farm' designated structures legally on his property with inspectors. This farm classification was exactly what allowed him to build his own structures on his property without an inspector; using it as a wedding venue probably lies somewhere in the grey area...
Hypothetically speaking, f something would have collapsed at the wedding ceremony, I'm sure they would be in deep trouble; but just as the Guerrilla Architect says in "Rebel Architecture" authorities allow buildings to become erected without an inspector because they trust the structures they create will work. Maybe that means that in West Virginia farmers have gained trust in the construction industry? This was my first exposure to informal architecture.
Of all the structures, I am most drawn to this "eating barn." Am I eating? Are the cows eating? Do we eat in the troughs next to each other? Nonetheless, curious to find out if these structures remained standing or already crumpled with a swift mountain breeze. Wishing for a long marriage between the bride, groom, and barns (3).
ReplyDeleteAgricultural exemptions in the US allow farmers a lot of freedom on their farms. Government institutions can be problematic in getting something built in a timely manner but just as often they run relatively smoothly. It seems in the case of West Virginia and the video Rebel Architecture the most important aspects to consider from the Governments point of view is the safety of the users and the ownership of materials and land. Just because land or a structure appears to be abandoned doesn't give others the right to claim it as their own. In the case of the West Virginia farm it seems that the safety of the users of this structure is the highest concern, not the ownership. As we have learned in Professor Peek's class from Channon when codes and structural specifications are not followed people die.
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