This project, currently under development, involves the design of a new 3,000 square foot 2 ½ story house sited on a heavily wooded lot with a picturesque pond in the rear, in a private rustic community adjacent to the historic Middleton Plantation on the Ashley River. The community has a small number of lots spaced out in the woods for privacy, and sustainable design principles are encouraged in the design of homes in order to have minimal impact on the forest and landscape.
The house is designed with a “cottage” feel to it, with stucco walls, a simple gabled roof with a stone-faced chimney, a centered shed dormer on the front and back, a flared base detail which grounds the building, and then modern detailed porches and balconies which will feature arched forms and modern decorative ironwork created by local craftsmen. A single story garage and workshop area will have a rooftop garden patio which connects to the house via an arched bridge. A portion of the rooftop garden patio will have an arched trellis to provide shade for a small dining area.
The siting of the house responds to the direction of the sun throughout the day while taking advantage of the best views that the property has to offer. The main living areas are located on the 2nd floor in order to capture the best natural daylight and views of the woods and pond. Features include a central open stair which winds up through the house and opens to a shed dormer which lets natural light down through the center of the house and provides a place to exhaust warm air out of the top of the building. A wood burning stove on the 2nd floor is a focal point between the kitchen and dining area, and has an exposed round metal duct which extends up through the finished attic level as a feature and out the chimney. Balconies and decks on all sides of the house allow for a strong connection to the natural surroundings.
The house is being passively designed to use less energy than a typical home would by its use of heavily insulated ICF walls (insulated concrete forms), continuous rigid insulation at the roof to reduce thermal bridging, insulation values exceeding the energy code, carefully dimensioned overhangs, high quality windows and doors, and will be detailed to prevent air infiltration.
The house will use a combination of small but highly efficient heating and air units and a fresh air system which use far less energy and be sized minimally due to the smaller needs of the efficiently-designed house. These systems are being designed by a company who specializes in the design of highly energy efficient homes and air-tight buildings to result in a professional solution. The owners wish to pursue an Energy Star rating, however, the building will be built to exceed the Energy Star standards. Solar panels, a geothermal system that uses the rear pond, instant water heating and rain-water collection systems are being explored with the goal of attaining a high degree of energy efficiency and value.
The property’s location in the woods, seismic zone, and hurricane risk were additional contributing factors to the decision to used a solid structure such as the ICF’s along with impact windows and doors on the exterior. The owners wish to build a solid and long-lasting home, and they have requested exterior materials other than wood in order to minimize maintenance and future waste of materials for repairs.
The goal is to create a highly efficient house with an aesthetically appealing design that will meet the needs of the owners for years to come.