Title: Piedmont Retreat
Location of Proejct: Durham. North Carolina
Project Completion Date: 06/2017
Firm Name: katherine hogan architects

Short Description: Set in the wooded edge of Durham, our clients were inspired to live in a dwelling embedded into the lush green North Carolina scenery. The composition of spaces results in a sheltered outdoor courtyard and a lower level that melds into the landscape. Inspired by the thick crust of a geode, a weathered Corten wrap insulates a series of introverted spaces from the street edge. Along the wooded edge, living spaces open to an array of shifting perspectival views, allowing circulation through the spaces to be grounded by views of the building weathering and aging alongside the forest it inhabits.

Architect's Statement: The owners were inspired to live in a house that was modest in public presence and low maintenance, yet connected directly to the lush green North Carolina landscape of their site and would allow them to blur the boundaries between their indoor and outdoor spaces. Designed to function as single level living space, the owners can traverse the building from public to private spaces while remaining on the same floor. The lower level is designed for guests with two private bedroom suites on either side of the building, separated to create privacy. This compositional arrangement of spaces results in an outdoor courtyard sheltered within the center of the house, yet with a lower and more connected to the landscape. Reflecting a desire to use authentic, low maintenance and reclaimed materials, the design celebrates the contrast between old and new while emphasizing the raw nature of these materials. New finishes contrast the reclaimed wood floor from Durham, the rusted corten steel, reused factory lights, and elements from their collection of art, objects and furniture.