Contemporary barn style architecture takes the basic elements of a traditional barn and reinvents them using a palette of modern materials and traditional ones that have been given a twist by the architect. Timber cladding is pretty traditional for an agricultural barn - but here Dutch studio FillieVerhoeven Architects have blackened the thin timber cladding entirely, given the barn an asymmetric gable and applied bold, minimalist detailing to create a truly stunning example of modern barn architecture. Villa SG21 is the name of the project near Rotterdam, Holland and it features many clever architectural devices as well an eco-friendly green roof and large areas of glazing to connect the barn with the surrounding countryside. The crisply finished back cladding and architectural lines of the exterior of the building are what really set this barn apart and there is probably no better way to compliment this type of architecture than using a pale gravel for the exterior surfaces. The gravel driveway and other gravel areas around the house set off the building perfectly and allow you fully appreciate it, without being distracted. Perhaps one of the reasons gravel works so well for this minimalist style of barn is because of what we associate gravel with. Large areas of grey and pale coloured gravels have been used in Japanese gardens for centuries. Within a Japanese Zen garden, the gravel is carefully raked and combined with rock and stone according to Japanese design principles to create a minimalist garden designed to create a sense of calm. Whilst the architect, in this case, is not interested in creating a Japanese style, they will no doubt understand how the minimalist style of the building will be enhanced by taking the same approach to the exterior surfaces. Less is more.

Choosing the right colour of gravel is important of course and when installing a gravel surface it makes perfect sense to use Nidagravel gravel stabilisation grids. Our gravel stabilisers will ensure that the surface of the gravel driveway, patio, and paths around the building are stable, free draining and more importantly easy to use. Nidagravel stabilisers really do make the difference when it comes to gravel, which is why so many architects specify Nidagravel grids as part of the exterior finishes for their projects.