River House
The River House is a weekend retreat located on the Rappahannock River in Virginia. Sited on a dramatic site, the 3500- square-foot house marks the intersection of three landscapes: natural forest, wetlands, and a mile-wide river.
Client
Location
Jamaica, VA
Size
3,500 sf
Completed
2008
The long and slender house is comprised of nine-and-one-half 12’ x 22’ structural steel bays (8 bays of interior space and 1.5 bays of screened porch) sitting on poured concrete foundation walls which were left partially exposed due to the steeply sloping site. By divorcing the primary skin of the house from the steel structure, large sliding glass doors could be used as the only barrier between interior and exterior. As a result, all interior spaces offer uninterrupted views out to the river.
The house is divided into three components: the main house, the guest quarters, and a multi-purpose level. To maximize interior space and privacy of the main house, the entry porch acts as circulation to the guest rooms. Translucent panels and a partial glass floor allow daylight into the lower level.
The owners appreciate the natural beauty found in raw construction materials and challenged Ziger|Snead to compose their home with simple building materials. The palette consists of poured concrete, ground face concrete block, galvanized and stainless steel, clear anodized aluminum, and cast metal industrial light fixtures.
Design Team
Steve Ziger
Douglas Bothner
Jeff Morgan
Glenn Shrum
Consultants
Structural Engineer – Morabito Consultants
Landscape Architect – Lazarus Design
Photography
Alain Jaramillo
Awards
2009 Honor Award – AIA Maryland
2008 Design Award – AIA Baltimore
Publications
Houses We Love: Row House
Dwell 10/2011
Go With the Flow
idfx Magazine 02/2010
Retreat on the River
Baltimore Style Magazine 08/2009
Interactive floorplan: River House
Wallpaper Online 03/2009
Honor Award, AIA Maryland, 2009
Design Award, AIA Baltimore, 2008