Woodvalley House

Residential, Award Winning, Sustainable

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At the end of a quiet residential street lined with low-slung 1960s ranch-style homes, the Woodvalley House provides its owner a contemporary, private retreat. The house, nestled into the hillside to minimize the scale of its 6200 square feet, affords direct and unobstructed access and views to the landscaped rear yard, gardens, and wooded ravine beyond the edge of the property. The simply articulated main body of the house is wrapped in a zinc rain-screen system and captures the kitchen, dining and living rooms in a single, monumental 18-foot high space. Smaller spaces, including the entry, a guest bedroom/office, and the master bedroom suite are discreet cedar-sided boxes that plug into the zinc-clad bar. A custom mahogany window wall system blurs interior and exterior spaces extending the great room to the terraces, gardens, and swimming pool. High-performance glazing with ceramic frit and large overhangs mitigate solar heat gain in the summer months. Radiant concrete and tile floors and the low-angle sun keep the interior spaces light-filled and comfortable throughout the winter.

Facts

Design Team: James Snead; Douglas Bothner; Jeff Morgan; Glenn Shrum

Team: Morabito Consultants - Structural Eningeer; Henry Adams - Mechanical & Electrical Engineer; Jenkins Baer Associates - Interior Design; Hord Coplan Macht - Landscape Architecture 

Location: Pikesville, Maryland

Construction Cost: Withheld

Area: 6,000 sf

Completion: 2008

Program: 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath single family home with open plan, ample daylight, unobstructed views and access to back yard.

Photography: Alain Jaramillo

Awards

  • 2009 Honorable Mention — Ceramic Tiles of Italy Design Competition
  • 2008 Merit Award — AIA Maryland
  • 2008 Design Award — AIA Baltimore
  • 2008 Residential Design Award — AIA Baltimore

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Sustainable Design

The project included several sustainable features which promoted increased occupant comfort, health and energy efficiency, even though the team did not seek LEED Certification. For instance, high-performance glazing with special ceramic frit and large overhangs mitigate solar heat gain in the summer months. Heated radiant concrete and tile floors in combination with glazing that takes advantage of low-angle sun  keep the interior spaces light-filled and comfortable throughout the winter. Imbedding the mass of the building into the hillside on the north side helps to decrease heat loss during winter and insulates the home during the hot summers. Operable glazing allows the house to be opened during temperate months to provide natural ventilation and connection with the exterior.