Architect: tonic design
Project Location: Durham, NC
Project Completion Date: April, 2017
Short Description: Set in a wooded cul-de-sac neighborhood on the edge of Durham, the community is characterized by a strong topography. Bounded by a quiet and introverted exterior, a thick geode crust, the corten steel forms a protective barrier to the street. This skin will eventually find its final weathering point and blend seamlessly into the landscape. In contrast, the living spaces open to an array of shifting perspectival views within and throughout the house. The daily process of circulating through the spaces is grounded by seeing the building from within the building, and discovering a new vantage point of the site.
Architect’s Statement: In contrast to the interiority of the neighboring houses, the owners were inspired to live in a house that was modest in public presence, but directly connected to the lush green North Carolina landscape of their site. They wanted a private, low maintenance house, that was livable and would allow them to blur the boundaries between their indoor and outdoor spaces. Designed to function as single level living, the owners can traverse the building from public to private spaces, operating on only one floor. For guests, the lower level is designed with two private bedroom suites, on opposite sides of the building, separated to create privacy. This compositional arrangement forms a sheltered outdoor courtyard space at the center of the house, a lower more connected vantage point of the site. A desire to use honest and low maintenance and reclaimed elements, the design celebrates the contrast between old and new and emphasizes the raw nature of the materials. New finishes are placed in contrast with a reclaimed wood floor from Durham, the rusted corten steel, reused factory lights, and elements from their collection of art, objects and furniture.