Haystack Comprehensive Campus Plan

Overlooking a picturesque coastal landscape, the Haystack Mountain School of Craft clings to a granite ledge typical of the mountainous terrain of Deer Isle, Maine. The campus, designed by notable architect Edward Larabee Barnes, opened to the public in 1961 and soon became known as a masterwork of American Modernism. Accessibility at this breathtaking campus is a unique challenge, as visitors must navigate a system of staircases and boardwalks connecting a network of pavilions perched on stilts above the descending grade below.

Beginning in 2020, KMA was a key team member contributing to a comprehensive campus plan spurred in part by the School’s increased commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. The campus plan calls for strategically replacing staircases with ramps—including the main entry stairs—markedly improving the physical accessibility of the campus while preserving historic circulation routes and view corridors. The team understood that access to the dormitories on the lower level would be challenging due to the existing topography. Instead, the campus plan provides an accessible route leading to all the primary program functions, including community spaces, art studios, and some dormitories. This approach will allow Haystack to pursue both an inclusive and attainable vision of its campus.