The owners wanted a house that respected their 8 wooded acres in urban Charlotte, N.C., rather than competed with it. So they turned to William McDonough + Partners, a Charlottesville, Va.-based firm known for its commitment to environmentally responsible architecture, to design their new home. Incorporating an impressive array of green attributes, the home’s design defers to its natural setting with meticulous siting and a sympathetic palette of materials. Explains project architect Katherine Grove, “The kitchen ties into that idea by anchoring a thickened bar of service areas that are clustered along the northern exposure, so the south-side public spaces could be left open and connected to the outdoors.” Taking full advantage of the plan’s north/south axis plays a key role in passive heating and cooling. The kitchen runs along the shady north wall and pushes past the building’s exterior envelope so operable windows at either end of a fieldstone wall can provide cross ventilation. Besides creating a tactile element in this sleek kitchen, the stacked stones and limestone flooring act as a thermal mass. Deeply recessed grout lines and a tightly fitted random pattern add to the wall’s natural attraction. FSC-certified beech cabinets with a no-VOC clear finish offer smooth contrast to the stone while matching cabinetry in the rest of the living area.
Builder: Philip R. Thomas Construction, Charlotte, N.C.; Architect: Allison Ewing, AIA, principal-in-charge, Katherine Grove, AIA, project architect, William McDonough + Partners, Charlottesville, Va.; Interior designer: William McIntosh Design, New York City; Photographer: Philip Beaurline
Resources: Dishwasher: Fisher Paykel; Hardware: FSB and Hafele; Plumbing fixtures: Franke and Kohler; Windows/patio doors: Hope’s Windows.
