Leicester House by SPG Architects
SPG Architects have sent us the Leicester House they designed in Asheville, North Carolina.
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Description from the architects:
This hilltop residence, located at the edge of a wooded knoll in the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, has expansive southern and western views. Approaching through a dense woods, one arrives at a striking single story façade of corten steel in a wood frame. A hint of the views is provided through the glass door, but it is not until entry that the full impact of the hilltop views can be experienced. The rear glass walls, facing West and South, open to rolling farmland below and the mountains beyond.
The entry level serves as the primary living area, with a guest wing carved into the hilltop on a level below. Functionality and energy efficiency are achieved both by this programmatic zoning as well as the careful choice of materials, fixtures, fittings, and energy. The ‘greening’ of the house complements its visual warmth, grounding the modern structure its a rural landscape.
Visit the SPG Architects website – here.
Photography by Daniel Levin
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Joe on 11 Jul 2011 at 7:20 pm #
The closets arent a lot… but architecture looks great.
loft on 12 Jul 2011 at 4:57 am #
That is a large lawn to cut.
How much energy does that cost to keep up?
Ahh who cares……..
“Green” is just a tool to keep people unemployed and a weapon to gouge the wealthy.
I like how the architecture is organized to get the inhabitants up on top of the “hill” for views. Beautiful site.
If the landscape had as much care, attention, skill and knowledge employed as the house – the project would be infinitely better. (missed opportunity)
eag on 13 Jul 2011 at 5:57 am #
the ‘lawn’ of this house is actually a hay pasture that is still harvested by local farmers, leaving the original agrarian landscape in tact. the grasses closest to the house are cut by the owner to keep them more under control, but are also a natural meadow mix of grasses that are drought resistant and do not need a watering system to maintain
Dutch boy on 13 Jul 2011 at 7:57 am #
Loft, only part of the lawn is cut…the rest seems pretty natural to me.
It seems that you go out of your way to find something wrong with every project on this site. Maybe you should post some of your “perfect” work. Plonker.
Sen on 13 Jul 2011 at 2:21 pm #
I do like it, but I feel like they could have pushed the forms a bit more. I really wish the wooden shape was lifted up 2 feet to be on top of the stone form instead of intersecting with it. I also feel like the column on the corner of the deck really hurts the concept of the folding wooden form as well, were as a canterlever for that part would have produced an interesting space and helped. That said I like the wooden form and how one end is closed off as well, has a nice containment too it.
Personally I could see the stone form being more organic and kind of part of the landscape.
Stephen Herbits on 17 Jul 2011 at 12:34 pm #
Actually the closet and storage space are unusually large for the size of house, although so well planned that they do not appear to be dominant. I wanted a lot and the design provided it.
Eric has already addressed the landscaping. In addition, part of the ground bushes and weeds in the woods have been trimmed by an expert to strengthen the beautiful trees and to maintain the overall theme of natural.
If you are interested in the environmental aspects, go to SPG’s website and hotlink to the presentation on those aspects of the house.
The Owner.