“ We went through so many options for cooling the barn - it just didn't make sense to air condition a space with natural vents and large doors. The Big Ass Fan was the perfect solution, and people in the community absolutely love it. Against the conical roof, the fan is a piece of art.
The city of Santa Rosa needed a public event space and wanted to restore the historic DeTurk Round Barn to suit that purpose. With an air movement upgrade, the elegant open structure could be perfect for weddings, meetings and conferences. Natural ventilation had cooled horses and machinery for over a century, but the barn needed a bigger comfort solution for more discerning crowds. Any product that the city’s Recreation and Parks department chose would also need to complement the structure’s historic form and materials.
A 24-ft (7.3-m) Powerfoil®X fan, combined with operable skylights, windows, doors and a renovated conical roof, allows the building to breathe naturally by creating air flow along the exterior walls and through the space’s 44-ft (13.4-m) roof. Constant air movement makes the barn incredibly comfortable, and the fan operates quietly to avoid distracting event attendees. The design of the fan meshes perfectly with the shape and structure of the space. Architect Kevin Teel says, “The fan instantly became a focal point, and its air flow helped the barn become a really popular venue.”
