The house rests atop concrete piers to reduce its impact on the …
Modern architecture doesn’t always go over well on a street of traditional houses. But architects Marlon and Meryati Blackwell had no problems with their neighbors over the bold, boxy residence they designed and built for themselves in Fayetteville, Ark.—and Marlon has an idea why. “We went with wood for the exteriors,” he says, alluding to that material’s warm approachability. “Also, we worked with the scale of the neighborhood.”
The house consists of two rectangular forms, one set on top of the other at a 90-degree angle. Only the first floor and the short end of the second floor are visible from the street, helping the project fit into its context of one-story cottages and ranch houses. The building’s steel-and-wood frame is wrapped in rubber to protect it from wet weather. Spaced strips of Brazilian redwood make up a rainscreen cladding that sits a few inches away from the rubber, allowing a ventilated cavity for rainwater. Along with its practical benefits, the rainscreen gives the house’s surface a sense of depth and dimensionality. “It’s a wonderful texture,” said one judge. “I’d love to see it change throughout the day with the sun moving across it.”
Inside the house, the Blackwells made sure the public spaces contained lots of windowed nooks for their two children to read or do homework. “So they’re not just holed up in their rooms,” Marlon explains. The couple acted as their own general contractor; he credits the subcontractors (especially Benchmark Framing) with getting the house to the finish line. “We had a great set of subs and framers that we couldn’t have done it without.”
Project Credits
Entrant/Architect/Builder: Marlon Blackwell Architect, Fayetteville, Ark.
Landscape architect: Stuart Fulbright, Fayetteville
Living space: 2,525 square feet; Site: .2 acre
Construction cost: $182 a square foot
Photographer: Timothy Hursley
Product Resources
Bathroom plumbing fittings/fixtures: Duravit, HudsonReed, Kohler, Philippe Starck, Toto; Dishwasher/oven/refrigerator: Jenn-Air; Fireplace: Kingsman; Tile flooring: Arkim Imola, Oceanside Glass Tile; Hardware: Emtek, Weslock; HVAC equipment: Lennox; Kitchen cabinets: Key Italia; Kitchen plumbing fittings/fixtures: Blanco, Elkay; Lighting fixtures: Artemide, Elkay, Eurofase; Paints: Sherwin Williams; Patio doors: Kawneer; Range: GE.
