The diploma is an investigation of the 20th-century barn typology in Jæren and a case study for their continued use as cattle breeding facilities. The 20th-century barn is a neglected element within the region’s agricultural and architectural heritage. Currently, hundreds of these barns have been made obsolete and left to decay due to new regulations under the new ”Lausdriftskravet” law (free-running requierment). Many farmers are opting to build new prefabricated structures instead of adapting and expanding the existing patchwork of barn structures.

This on-going shift threatens the survival of the 20th-century barn and questions their value as important contributions to the region’s vernacular architecture. This diploma adresses the 20th-century barn’s cultural historical value, by showcasing it as a progression and evolution of Jæren’s architecture.
The farm of Sør-Reime, in southern Jæren, is the point of departure for the diploma’s case study on revitalizing an existing barns in compliance with “Lausdriftskravet” and true with its typology. Through this case-study, the diploma argues for the importance of preservation, its feasibility through continued usage and for a more sustainable future for Jæren’s agriculture.