Nature lover's residence
3200 SF, 3 bedrooms, 3 kitchens. A sensational one bedroom
residence plus two guest suites, each complete with kitchen and living area.
- The house is located on a secluded lot covered with
mature hardwoods , with the long view of a lake to the North. The owners
required that the beauty of the natural surroundings be preserved during
construction and remain enjoyable in all directions from everywhere inside
the main house.
- A breezeway connects the main house, the carport and
the guest's annex enclosing an intimate Japanese garden. A fondness for
Japanese architecture is found in the selection of the materials and the
details.
- The design provides views of the carefully preserved
woods from at least two sides from each room. The dining room and kitchen
open to an expansive view of a lake while the living rooms opens to the
Japanese garden. Everywhere high windows peek at the treetops while
keeping the summer sun out. We combined passive solar principles, great
openness indoors and to the outdoors, high energy efficiency and low
maintenance materials.
- Of particular note is the skylight kaleidoscope in the
master bedroom, that multiplies the views of the top of the trees and sky
while minimizing the summer heat gain.
- This house is all at the same level (no steps) and is
fully accessible to the physically handicapped.
- Weathering finishes, wide overhangs, and no gutters
reduce the maintenance.
- Careful orientation and siting was required to take
advantage of passive solar features.
- In regard to this house I wrote an article on Skylight magic.
