WATERBURY FARMHOUSE
Completed Projects
Design Challenge:
This house is situated on the lands of a historic farm with an existing farmhouse, barn and outbuildings. The owner maintains pastures for horses and requested that the new house relate to and fit into the historic and ongoing horse farm operations. Situating the new house to be compatible to the existing property layout and buildings was a primary design challenge. At the same time having the architecture of the new house be in keeping with the scale and language of the existing buildings was also paramount.
Design Solution:
Through the design process an appropriate house location was selected in the proximity of the existing farmstead on a small knoll overlooking a pond. A slightly turned axis defines the main circulation corridors throughout the house and corresponds to true south providing solar heat gain and light into the house. On the interior this same axis defines the main entry corridor and the slight skew provides an expanding perspective moving through the house to the primary view of distant mountains. The interior great room spaces surround the central kitchen with varying degrees of connection defined by openings, half walls and level changes. Above the kitchen is a home office that captures both sun and views while the bedrooms are contained in a three–story tower element on the north side of the house. A quiet exterior palette is accentuated by landscape elements such as colored concrete retaining walls and a sweeping front yard fence enclosure. The house expresses a dynamic movement inside and out that relates directly to the intimate farm setting and distant mountains.
