BNA at Nutter Farm

Nutter Farm was established by John & Bunny Nutter in 1948, when they moved from Swampscott, Massachusetts, to the more rural town of Topsfield. With farming roots as a family heritage, they sought to have their children raised in a similar setting. John & Bunny each became participants in volunteer activities in Topsfield and on the North Shore. On the farm, the family participated in cultivating and selling vegetable and Christmas tree crops. Constant activity included building projects and forestry. As John and Bunny prepared their estate planning, they deeded land to their children, offering the opportunity to keep the family and the farm vital. For Ben, this offered a location well suited to creating a 20th century New England farmhouse. The driveway approach to the home is reminiscent of the arrival to a family farm in Plymouth, Massachusetts, called "Hillside. "The design is intended to prompt a visitor to wonder if the home is restored, perhaps expanded or new. This mystery continues when a guest is welcomed inside. Not until they walk into the southeast facing kitchen – sitting – dining space do they discover the continuous wall of glass that exposes the wide view of living at Nutter Farm. There is an intentional schizophrenic contrast between traditional forms and contemporary details. Eastern White Pine timbers harvested by the owner and reclaimed local granite are a few on the interior details that provide a nod to early New England building traditions while featuring them in more contemporary ways. The home faces south to afford the location of photovoltaic panels on the main house roof. The BNA design studio was completed in 2013, providing an example of the blend of traditional and contemporary designs that are common to the firm’s client projects. The final built piece of the collection is Doctor John’s Barn. When the barn was slated for demolition on a family property in New Hampshire, Ben collaborated with Arron Sturgis to dismantle the barn. The timbers were restored, and the barn reassembled adjacent to Ben’s home. It now contains a timeline of the studios design work, allowing prospective and previous clients the opportunity to view examples of the firms work of 40 (and counting!) years.

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Time

Ben’s House: 1994 construction started

BNA Architects Studio moved into office annex: 2013

Dr. John’s Barn: 2023