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Farmhouse, Concord, New Hampshire, 2007
Located on the high ground at the southeast corner of a 225 acre property that consists of hayfields and forests, this house responds to several challenges intrinsic to its site. The view afforded by its elevation is to the northwest, the access drive is from the east, and, of course, solar opportunities lie mainly to the south. In addition, the owner wanted a formal, symmetrical front entry, as well as a covered back entry connected with the garage. Added to this was the architects' requirement that the house fully engage its sloping site on two levels with terraces and stone retaining walls (rather than decks), connecting it solidly to the land.
Internally, the challenge was to provide a formal Entry Hall, Dining Room and Parlor consistent with the traditional exterior expressions, while also achieving a level of plan consolidation that would serve the family well after their children left home. The kitchen sits in the middle of a family "constellation," with its informal eating area to the east, a Dining Room to the west, and the fireplace in full view to the south.
A layered exterior expression on the three-story down-hill elevation and a wrap-around secondary volume deal with the issue of scale and the desire to reflect a New England farmhouse identity.
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