Our clients selected a rural south facing wooded site with a clearing on top of a knoll for their retirement home. We chose to abandon an existing driveway in favor of keeping this open space as a court yard garden for the residence. We rerouted the driveway to a lower elevation. The now subterranean garage with a green roof lies beyond the guest entry and is shielded by a stone wall which transitions into a base for the residence above. The home is organized into a 14’ high rectangular glass and wood volume which runs north/south at the edge of the forest and the more solid plaster cubes which penetrate the glass.
While the all glass entry and living areas are open to the surrounding nature, the plaster cubes offer intimate spaces to retrieve to. They house the library, kitchen and master suite.
In addition the height differential allows for perfect cross ventilation on hot days while a large southern overhang assures protection from the sun during the summer and for the desired solar gain in the winter.
Across the court yard two stone cubes house the 2 guest rooms.
The landscape beyond the court yard walls was left natural