Spring

Architect: BuildSense Architecture PC (visit website)

Location: Raleigh North Carolina

100 Word Description: Spring is a single-family residence designed and built on a heavily wooded lot previously occupied with an existing home in the Falls Lake Area of Raleigh. The clients desired a sustainable and energy efficient home to live big while maintaining a modest scale. The form of the design was conceived through the clients’ love for the retro-modern “atomic ranch†style as well as the indoor/outdoor connection provided through the Japanese exterior circulation and veranda concept of engawa. The clients enhanced the form with their desire for abundant natural light and their interest in dappled light of the forest canopy.

Architect’s Description: Early design investigations of the “atomic ranch†revealed that low sloping roof forms and a massive central stone hearth were the strongest design elements. The need for multiple stories and the desire for abundant natural daylight drove a reinterpretation of ranch forms. The typical heavy masonry element was transformed to a delicate and lacy filter of light serving as the entry, vertical circulation, and an orientation device ever-present to all public/family gathering spaces. The perforated aluminum skin defines this “lightbox†to both exterior and interior. With nightfall, it glows as a lantern: a beacon to the exterior.

Type of Construction: Existing home deconstruction diverted over 85% of material to such elements as the “lightbox†stair.Orientation, window openings, roof overhangs, and landscape were designed for passive heating and cooling assistance.Insulating concrete forms and advanced in-line framing provide strength and high insulation values.Sprayed open cell foam and structural insulated sheathing provide superior continuous R-Value while minimizing air infiltration.High performance windows and doors.High efficiency geothermal heat pump.Heat pump water heater with desuperheater.Occupancy aware fresh air circulation.Hard surfaced floors and surfaces throughout for increased indoor air quality.Manifold plumbing system for reduction in hot water waste and increase in comfort.Low flow plumbing fixture and toilets.Cedar siding fully pre-sealed and back ventilated for increased longevity.Sealed combustion wood burning fireplace with an exterior combustion air source.Native and drought tolerant plantings.Reduced landscaped area for limited yard maintenance (no turf).2500 gallon roof water catchment and redistribution system for landscape irrigation and hose bibs.3.68 kW roof mounted grid connected photovoltaic array for clean electrical power generation.Home certified Gold by ANSI NAHB National Green Building Standard.HERS index of 56 not including photovoltaic generation.

Photography: Mark Herboth Photography/