Stone pavers meander through a courtyard lush with crepe myrtle and bayberry before arriving at the dramatic double-height glass entry to this home, which features a grand concrete staircase. The entry sets the tone for this unique project, where surprises beckon with every turn and design delivers larger-than-life living for a creative and active young family.

Inspired by a sculpture within the landscape, this project expresses two distinct identities. At the entrance, a dark brise soleil spans two stories and presents a unified façade, visually connecting the three wings of the sprawling house, which were intentionally arranged to reduce the scale. The brise soleil opens and contracts the glazing in a rhythmic pattern, finally breaking free of the house itself and marching into the landscape. At the rear elevation, it becomes apparent that the house is in fact a wood volume clad in sun-bleached cedar and the brise soleil a shroud that distinguishes the front from the rear.

Within the house, the same motifs reappear. Stairs break free of walls, dark contrasts with light, millwork mimics the rhythm of the exterior brise soleil, and finishes carry from inside out. The result is a home that offers a spatially rich experience, nuanced in detail yet expressive in style.

Archi Award for outstanding achievement in the residential single family over three million dollars