WALPOLE – Capturing the historic look of a classic 19th century barn, renowned documentarian Ken Burns has brought in local Bensonwood Homes to build a barn that will serve as both a film-screening space for Burns' Florentine Films as well as guest quarters.

The filmmaker, who made a name for himself with his 1990 documentary “The Civil War,” often hosts actors, producers and others involved with his films for extended periods. The barn is expected to be completed this fall.

In mid-June, Burns and his film company crew and Bensonwood founder Tedd Benson and his builders raised the barn structure together.

“I've wanted to build a barn since I was 6 years old,” said Burns in a statement. Burns, busy promoting his new documentary “The Dust Bowl,” was unavailable for an interview.

“I'm in the business of history, of trying to make the past come alive,” Burns said. “Thanks to the many talented folks at Bensonwood, I've been able to translate that passion into a tangible, physical building that feels old and realize that life-long dream. Working with Tedd Benson and his staff, we've been able to design and make a barn out of new wood that's been made to look and feel old, a functional space that evokes not only the ancient barns of New England but its spiritual spaces as well.

Burns, who said he plans to use the barn for screenings, storage and guest space, originally wanted an old barn on his property moved and renovated for the project, but the 19th century barn would not have met modern building codes, said architect Bill Holtz.

Instead, Bensonwood used modern techniques to create the timeless charm of the old barn, which appears to have been on the property for the past 200 years, Holtz said.

The classic 30-by-48-foot barn design under construction has two levels. The first floor includes a dining room, kitchen, two bedroom suites and an open living area that is to function as the screening area as well. The second floor will have an open loft area and a separate bathroom. The basement level is to offer generous storage space.

Holtz said he was able to use some salvaged wood from Burns' old barn including chestnut and pine flooring for the new project.

Local hemlock, white pine, and chestnut were the primary woods used to build the barn.

The timberframe structure is made out of hemlock, white oak gunstocked posts, old barn chestnut rails, locust porch posts, oak pegs and oak knee braces. The interior walls and floors are eastern white pine.

“What we really strived for was to use local material to make this building as locally grown as possible,” Holtz said.

The vertical siding on the outside is made of hemlock and has been stained with Polywhey made by Vermont Natural Coatings. The Polywhey is dairy-based, like the old milk paints once used to coat the exterior of barns, and gives the barn the weathered look Burns was looking for, Holtz said.

Benson founded Bensonwood Homes in Alstead about 30 years ago. The company, now headquartered in Walpole, incorporates advanced technologies and environmentally responsible practices in all its buildings, including two lines of customizable, net-zero capable homes: The Lifestyle Greenfield and Fairview Series.

The award-winning building company was featured in 16 episodes of PBS's “This Old House,” designing and building a high-performance, eco-friendly home in Weston, Mass. Learn more about the company at bensonwood.com.

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Meghan Pierce may be reached at mpierce@newstote.com.