Kent Barns — Hoerr Schaudt

At Kent Barns, a regional destination in Kent, Connecticut that unites art, commerce, and community, the landscape designed by Hoerr Schaudt ties the development back to its agrarian roots.

In the development, which features five restored historic barns that house retail shops and galleries, Hoerr Schaudt used locally sourced stone, reclaimed timber and gravel to lend authenticity and ground the landscape in its rural context. 

The design team reinterpreted traditional farmstead elements, fences, orchard-style tree grids and gravel paths in a modern vernacular to create an environment that feels familiar yet forward-looking.

“As in all our projects, we let the greater context influence our design,” says Nick Fobes, a partner at Hoerr Schaudt. “The historic structures are beautiful, but they had no sense of place. Our role was to create spaces where people would stay and mingle at the development, which is a central stopping point from New York City for weekend trips.”

One of the major goals–and challenges–of the project was to draw drivers off the highway and into the development. Using landscape form, spatial organization and integrated signage to signal arrival and guide visitors through the site, Hoerr Schaudt created a legible and inviting approach.

Hoerr Schaudt’s site plan, which was shaped around a 200-year-old maple tree that’s in the center of the site, carefully balances functional access with a sense of discovery.

“Protecting the tree was a critical requirement,” Fobes says. “It became both a defining constraint and a guiding design element. It anchors the development, reinforcing a sense of continuity, stewardship and respect for the site’s history.”

The parking, which is discreetly organized, leads visitors to the shops and galleries, while meandering pathways encourage wandering, lingering and exploration. 

Clear circulation routes knit together plazas, galleries, garden rooms and outdoor gathering spaces, ensuring that while cars are accommodated, pedestrians always come first.

The landscape acts as a connector, guiding foot traffic from the main road inward and inviting visitors to explore. 

Winding paths of chip-and-seal gravel blended with local pea gravel are bordered by reclaimed granite curbing and cobbles, selected, Fobes says, “to honor regional heritage while adding rustic elegance.”

The design team used local reclaimed materials to ground the project within its regional and historic context. 

“This approach supported sustainability goals by reducing transportation impacts while lending authenticity and depth to the landscape,” Fobes says. “These materials helped connect the development to the area’s agricultural and industrial heritage, creating a sense of permanence and place.”

Tough, easy-to-care-for native plants, including hydrangeas, sumac, red chokeberry, oak sedge, prairie dropseed, switch grass, turkey beard and Joe Pye weed, create a unifying look and feel, and efficient irrigation systems support long-term ecological health and reduce ongoing maintenance.

“We took a holistic approach,” Fobes says. “There’s always something of interest to see in all the different seasons.”

The development is centered around a flexible plaza that’s framed by a tree-lined allée. In addition to daily activities, the space is used to host festivals, outdoor exhibitions and seasonal events that unite locals and visitors in an inviting, ever-evolving landscape.

At the plaza’s edge, a seasonal farm stand and community-oriented spaces become interactive gathering spots.

Generous plazas, seating pockets and intimate garden rooms foster connections–“people stay, engage and immerse themselves in the spirit of the place,” Fobes says.

Although the project is commercial, the Hoerr Schaudt team took a residential approach to make the landscape respond to the individual. 

“And it shows,” Fobes says. “This is a unique project in a quiet, quaint town. It’s so approachable that it’s like talking about an old friend.” TB