South Bluffs House
The owner wanted a modern, low maintenance house within a neo-traditional neighborhood. The house responds as much to the urban, industrial fabric beyond the neighborhood walls as it does to the clapboard cottage next door. Several contextual issues drive the design and material palette.
Occupying a corner lot, the house sits 20 feet back behind a low garden wall, which allows dual entry from both the street and alley. Its narrow volume lends relief to the corner allowing for the front lawn, which offers a sharp contrast to the zero-lot-line neighbors. It was important that he house's smaller scale be matched with a smart material palette in order to avoid being overshadowed by the larger homes of the neighborhood, while still relating to the broader context.
A rich composition of materials coupled with an efficient site strategy allow the house multiple connections to both the immediate and broader context. The design intends to be a refreshing alternative to the typical housing stock of the area.
