Regency House

Nestled in a historic neighborhood in central Omaha, the Regency House was originally constructed in 1974, later undergoing several renovations and additions, resulting in an eclectic mix of styles with little unifying character. To better resonate with the complexion of the neighborhood and lending coherency of form and vernacular, the disparate elements of the existing residence were married into an elegant colonial whole. On the exterior, classic limestone and board & batten siding compliment the material quality of nearby homes, while the copper-roofed porch actively engages the street, simultaneously pulling the livable space outward and beckoning neighbors in. Inside, warm wood floors and intricately detailed casework establish an upscale yet cozy environment throughout the house, strategically accented by rich reclaimed brick fireplaces which punctuate the intimate gathering spaces.

Kid Structure

KidStructure is an outdoor pavilion designed to “spark the imagination of the young and young at heart” for the Omaha Botanical Garden’s summer exhibition. It is inspired by the agricultural forms of the Great Plains and conceived as a fun yet educational vehicle for children to learn about corn from seed to harvest.

The pavilion is bounded by rows of corn planted so that children can observe its growth on repeated visits over the course of the summer.  Four illustrated panels in the pavilion’s main level document the lifecycle of corn, providing simple scientific explanations.  Kids have views over the surrounding gardens from the top deck, while an overhead canopy of mesh screens patterned with abstracted corn stalks provides shade. The slide is reminiscent of the harvested corn pouring from the combine to the grain cart ready for market.

In form and massing, KidStructure is evocative of the combines that harvest Nebraska’s cornfields each autumn. The slanted walls suggest imagery of the decaying farm structures that dot the surrounding countryside, remnants of the early settlers who brought vernacular wood construction methods to the American Midwest from Europe. These pure and simple building techniques are the basis of KidStructure; light-frame walls and sawn lumber columns are tied together with wooden cross-bracing to create an economical and versatile structure while the exterior cedar screen echoes the corn-crib structures used to dry and store grain through the winter.

Sustainable Design Elements Include:

  • Brownfield Site: a former garbage dump for the city turned into a public park and botanical garden
  • Cedar sourced from standing dead growth trees
  • Mesh shading and natural ventilation diminishes the need for air-conditioning
  • Corn-crib air gaps facilitate natural light penetration
  • Lifecycle Design: following the exhibition, the installation was relocated to a private residence.

French Country House

Traditional French country homes, rooted in the undulating hills of rural France, have a timeless elegance that seem almost effortless. Free of the often tawdry embellishments of their aristocratic counterparts, they tend to have an earthy quality marked by simple materials, purposeful scaling, and inert balance. In its modern incarnation, even expatriated to the flat plains of Nebraska, the vernacular retains an unpretentious charm derived from elegant simplicity. Here, a group of robust gables reach above the shallow roofline, imbuing fanciful character while beckoning visitors in, just as a trio of rounded dormers, proudly perched atop the living room roof, flood the space with sunlight. Clad in natural materials, warm accents of wood and copper punctuate a background of cool, muted stone and stucco. Composed together, these humble pieces form a timeless whole.

Garden Road

Desiring to stay in his established Omaha neighborhood, the owner elected to renovate a house built in 1956 rather than wastefully demolish and rebuild it.  In order to make the greatest impact, much of the interior was gutted and a dynamic spatial arrangement was designed to accentuate movement through the house to make the most of its small size.

Straightforward, elemental materials were selected for their honest integrity and low environmental impact. Vermont slate flooring, accented with black river pebbles, provides a natural base, while it increases human comfort by absorbing the sun’s rays during the day and radiating the solar heat at night. An angular stainless steel guardrail is set side by side with curved cherry wood in a warm/cold, skin/bones juxtaposition. A new open plan kitchen, skewed to relate to exterior views, replaces the original kitchen and opens up the space.  Its cast-in-situ cooking island anchors the composition and acts as the hub for the living spaces.  Custom aluminum track lighting spirals out from the cooking island like a pleasant cooking aroma to unite the living spaces within the house. The radiating spiral of the lighting track utilizes the golden section while further adding to the “techno-natural” theme. Efficient appliances, well-located lighting, renewable cherry wood cabinets, and high-performance windows further augment the environmental sustainability of the house.

This project satisfies the client’s objectives within a tight space and budget by economically using nature’s resources while displaying a passion for the built craft.

Modern Farmhouse

Overlooking 300 acres outside Gretna, NE, the project is a modern interpretation of a traditional Nebraska farmhouse.

Clustered with a rustic corn-crib inspired bedroom wing and a rugged metal garage linked by an airy glass breezeway, the long, narrow house forms the broad side of a notional courtyard. The main house itself is an elongated rectangular structure built upon a frame of steel bents arrayed at eight feet on center. Upon this frame, a skin of weathered wood encloses the sides, while a standing seam metal roof caps the top. Paired with a simple gabled profile, the raw nature of the cladding lends an air of timelessness and alludes to the agrarian vernacular of its neighbors. Punctuated by a spiral staircase coiled within a corrugated metal silo and a skeletal steel catwalk that hovers over the living room, then thrusts through a north-facing curtain wall, the house combines bold, modern gestures with comfortable nods toward the rural environment it occupies.

Flanking the north edge of the courtyard is the children’s bedroom wing. Drawing from the language of traditional pole-barns and corn cribs, the bedroom wing is supported by an exoskeleton of thick wood columns. Woven between them are 1” wood slats oriented vertically and regimented in even lines so that small gaps are left between each piece. Just as this technique allowed grain to dry in the agricultural corn cribs, it allows air to flow through the storage and hobby spaces beneath the bedrooms, keeping them naturally cool and light.

Finally, the third side of the courtyard is moored by the garage and veranda. Built on a timber structure and clad in corrugated metal, the five-stall garage pulls inspiration from pragmatic farm outbuildings, but joins them with the amenities of a modern man-cave. At both ends, the structure features large glass garage doors that can be opened to encourage cross ventilation, as well as a perforated sliding barn door that can be closed to provide security without compromising air flow.

Hill House

A saddle ridge projects out from the peak of the hill, tapering rapidly away at each side, and at its terminus punches a gap into the thick canopy of trees, lending a framed view of the river valley below. The owners, immediately captivated by the incredible sense of direction to the space, looked for a way to occupy it permanently.

Rather than build directly on the ridge, which would forever alter the way that the space is experienced and ultimately generate an adulterated facsimile of the place that first beguiled the owners, the house is designed to straddle the ridge and enhance the frame instead of plodding over it. Flanking both sides of the saddle, the house is divided into two wings, connected by a sun-soaked link. At the east, fronting the driveway approach, the public-facing wing greets visitors with an old bronze bell delicately suspended from a pair of cantilevered steel channels. A hearty pull of the rope that dangles through a hole in the entry roof sounds the bell and serves to announce the guest’s arrival.

Inside, a tall, sloping ceiling ascends along the length of the Living Room, as it too daringly cantilevers out over the adjoining ravine, finally cresting at a wall of glass that fills the space with light. At the opposite end of the link, the western wing withdraws from the vibrant intensity of the public areas. Projecting off the side of the ridge and into the trees, the wing becomes encased in the natural foliage of its site. While the spaces still soar as the roof mimics the climb of the adjacent wing, light is filtered through the leaves of the surrounding tree canopy before peeking through strategically placed windows, allowing a softer, quieter atmosphere.

WEST SHORES

Built on a sandy shore overlooking an active lake, the home is designed to take advantage of stunning views from each area and draw the eye through the space to the vista beyond. The house is divided by a long stone wall running perpendicular to the shore, providing separation between the public and private zones. On one side, a spacious living room and kitchen area is showered in light by windows to the lake, creating an airy, open feeling that encourages entertaining. Passing through a gap in the wall, though, transports the occupants into a subdued, more contemplative space, perfect for quietly gazing over the waterfront.

HILLTOP RESIDENCE

Located atop a steep hill in Tennessee, the Tennessee Hilltop Residence asserts itself as both contemporary and deeply rooted in the history of its place. The 16 acre site sits along Old Hillsboro Road, an undulating two lane road flanked by 19th century dry stacked stone walls and bordered by antebellum plantation homes and decaying farm structures.

Taking cues from the old stone walls running along the property’s frontage, the house is organized around two imposing stone walls, loosely forming a skewed cross. The first skewed wall runs parallel to the road while the second runs perpendicular to the slope of the hill, slicing the house into quarters that organize the house based on level of privacy. Entry, living, sleeping and service are arranged around the massive demising walls, revealing themselves in layers as one moves through the spaces.

Rich wood tones contrast with jagged stone to create a place that is at once contemporary and rustic, warm and inviting, appealing to our innate desire for shelter.  The home is designed and planned to last for many generations to come – using long-lasting, low-maintenance and permanent materials inspired by indigenous agrarian structures.

Sustainable Design Elements Include:

 

  • Ground source coupled geothermal closed-loop system for heating and cooling
  • Passive solar design and daylighting strategy
  • Windows facilitate natural ventilation using summer breezes from the south
  • Exterior porch living spaces limit the necessity and amount of air-conditioned spaces
  • Rainwater harvesting: a 15,000 gallon underground tank for all exterior water needs
  • Minimal impervious paving diminishes water runoff
  • Recycled and reclaimed materials including standing dead timber and reused stone from a local, demolished flour mill
  • Local supplier for the custom ultra-efficient, low-E, argon-filled, thermally-broken windows
  • Hydronic radiant floor heating system