Grand Country House

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Grand Country House

Firm

Patrick Ahearn Architect LLC

Type

Residential › Private House

This newly constructed stone and “swirl” sided home is nestled in a tall grove of evergreens, in a nearby suburb of Boston. The “H” shaped pattern of the home creates both an entry arrival court and a rear private outdoor series of spaces, including porches, terraces and family gathering areas. All of which never hints at the full scale of the home. This pattern language allows the house to feel intimate, and charming, in a romantic way. The tall stone chimneys flanking the main façade at the entry court reinforce and celebrate the symmetrical nature of the design, while maintaining a cottage scale overall height of twenty six feet for the home.
One of the primary objectives of the design of the home was to celebrate the spectacular site. The house was designed for indoor / outdoor living and in doing so allows one to flow through the house in multiple areas.
The entry foyer establishes a spine in which one is drawn to the rear courtyard, without having to travel through another primary living space. Likewise, the perpendicular axis and circulation galleries provide a clear delineation of the primary spaces which then unfold off this spine.
The north gallery resolves itself at a dramatic paneled library and at the terminus of the south gallery the kitchen and family room unfold.
In a similar manner, the second floor galleries define a strong circulation pattern that allows one to navigate the house through two major stairways, of which the primary stairwell is capped by a series of major copper skylights at the entry foyer.
In addition, the lawn level (garden level) opens out to a hidden garden with a fire pit and seating area directly outside of a major stonewalled wine tasting dining area. These innovations in living patterns of the house recall and emulate the “Grand Country Houses” of the past century yet provide a basis for how people want to live today.