Modern House Architect

Architecture

joe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:20:17 +0000

The form of the house tapers in plan and roof planes to allow for both a demure street presence and an explosive ocean view and was inspired by the unique topography of the coastal bank. The site, the highest point in Truro, rises to an elevation of 116’ before sloping down to sea level. The Foyer, positioned between the two forms, provides direct access to the ocean-front deck, satisfying the client’s desire to walk right out to the beach as soon as they arrive.

Cooking and Dining

joe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:00:22 +0000

The owners love to cook and asked for a large kitchen where the family to gather. ZED thought of the kitchen as the social epicenter of the living area; the entertainment side of the generously sized kitchen island provides space for seating and access to the wine refrigerator while the functional side is all chef’s business.

The dining room is adjacent to the kitchen and can open up directly to the deck.

Living and Views

joe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:50:49 +0000

The view from the living room is what really makes this home special. The glazing asymmetrically wraps and exposes the corners of the space bringing in both light and views and gives the owners and their guests unobstructed views from anywhere in the living room. The warm wood roof plane draws the eye outside while the glazing brings the horizon in, inviting the ocean—or the fog—to complete the dynamic fourth wall of the space.

Horizontal lines and orthogonal forms are traced in the bench beneath and beside the fireplace, in the linear fluorescent light fixtures and even in the horizon line in the painting above the fireplace. These horizontal reference lines continue throughout the space, extending out to the true horizon, and back in again.

Sleeping and Bathing

joe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:40:43 +0000

The breathtaking architecture continues in the master bedroom which is designed to provide privacy for the owners from the rest of the home. The angled clerestories fill the room with light while the slider provides the room its own view of Cape Cod bay.

The Bathrooms feature recycled glass tile, bluestone, and water efficient fixtures. The transom window in the masterbath introduces light from skylights in the adjacent study.

High Performance

joe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:10:14 +0000

This high performance home features a super-insulated building envelope, ground (geothermal) source heat pump, and 11.7KW of solar energy on the roof. The geothermal system, coupled with radiant heating and central air, will supply the home’s heating and cooling needs throughout the year. A heat recovery ventilator provides fresh air throughout the year while exchanging heat between the incoming and outgoing air steams, minimizing the energy penalty of fresh air ventilation.

Since the home was designed as a vacation residence with varying occupancy, the program of the home is organized to decommission half of the home for the majority of the year to conserve energy. The home is split into two volumes – a ‘Living Bar’ and a ‘Sleeping Bar.’ The Sleeping Bar is the expansion module with numerous bedrooms and bathrooms to accommodate the entire family. The Living Bar includes the kitchen, living and dining areas, as well as a secondary master bedroom – all that the couple needs when the children are away.

Press and Awards

admin — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:04:24 +0000

The Truro Residence has garnered significant attention through both press and awards.

Awards include:
- Citation for Sustainability from the Boston Society of Architects (BSA)
- Regional Award in SubZero Wolf Kitchen Design Contest (KDC)
- PRISM Gold Award for Most Innovative Single Family Green Design
- PRISM Silver Award for Best Single Family Home.

Press received includes the cover story for Design New England magazine, coverage in Architectural Record, GreenSource, Boston Home, CASA Living, HISE, and a new book, 21st Century Beach Houses.