This past Saturday, I visited Grace Farms and saw their new River Building, the farm and forest, where it is located. I got to learn about the ways they brought together people for nature, art, community and faith.
Off to the side of the building, there are two barns that were converted into class rooms and other kinds of rooms for different purposes. The barns have been renewed and painted grey. This makes them look very modern. They sit facing each other, with a medium sized yard in between them. Connecting the two buildings are gravel pathways formed in a very artistic fashion. In the yard there are two stations with women selling apple cider.
At Grace Farms their main focus was always nature, then came community and faith. They show this in many ways. They build a community centered around art. One piece of art was tiny little glass tiles that were placed on the wall. At night, the shadows on the glass look like the New York City skyline. You can see different kinds of paintings and drawings in rooms like the library and dining hall.
Something that I found to be surprising, was that a place that appeared to be a very artistic and nature based would also have a church and basketball court connected to it. At first it seemed unexpected but after learning about it more, I saw that Grace Farms wanted to build a community and having stuff like a library, church or basketball court were great ways to bring people together.
The first thing I did was listen to the architects, Sanaa, talk about the new River Building. The main goal behind the building was to make sure that it didn’t take away from the landscape. They made sure that the roof was not built higher than the trees, so that you could see the whole forest from any place on the farm. The building was formed in the shape of a river to blend in with the area. It has glass walls and glass on the roof to reflect the blue sky. It was also made so that you could see the variation in the landscape. When you looked one direction you could see the wetlands, where as, if you looked another, you could see black locust trees. The main auditorium had the best view. Behind the stage you could see the whole hill side. They also hold church services in the auditorium every Sunday.
A short walk down the hill, beneath the river ceiling, would bring you to a room where you can get food and listen to live music. Just downhill from there, you'll find a tea room. It is a small room with seating. You can order from a menu of different Japanese teas. Just outside of the tea room, is an underground basketball court. You can look down on it from ground level. The idea was that the basketball court would bring together community, but having it in the ground would not take away from the landscape.
At Grace Farms their main focus was always nature, then came community and faith. They show this in many ways. They build a community centered around art. One piece of art was tiny little glass tiles that were placed on the wall. At night, the shadows on the glass look like the New York City skyline. You can see different kinds of paintings and drawings in rooms like the library and dining hall. Something that I found to be surprising, was that a place that appeared to be a very artistic and nature based would also have a church and basketball court connected to it. At first it seemed unexpected but after learning about it more, I saw that Grace Farms wanted to build a community and having stuff like a library, church or basketball court were great ways to bring people together.
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