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3North

3North

Richmond, VA | San Francisco, CA

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Contemporary River House

This sleek riverfront house was designed to serve as a second home. The objective was to create a streamlined, minimalist space that included an open living area, modestly sized master suite, and thoughtful storage options. Visitors approach the property via a long drive that leads into an enclosed parking courtyard. Here, the waterfront is deliberately obscured, creating a slow reveal that delivers its payoff inside, where a 17-foot glass wall frames a striking river views. Large window panels along the southeast corner fold back accordion-style, exposing the interior to the outdoors. The porch is covered by the roof’s 16-foot overhang, which triples the home’s living space and facilitates entertaining. Guests can wander from the porch to the pool area, where the raised wall that surrounds it eliminates the need for standard fencing and allows the pool area to blend into the landscape. The pool house was sited to align with the waterfront and includes a separate guest quarters with a changing room, bath, bedroom and outdoor shower. When viewed from the river, the black Boral siding gives the impression that the house is receding into the landscape.

 
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Status: Built
Location: Mathews County, VA
Firm Role: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Design
Additional Credits: General Contractor: Connemara Corporation
Structural Engineer: Fox + Associates, PC
Cabinetry: Freeburger Custom Cabinetry
Stucco: James River Stucco, Inc.
Painting: H. J. Holtz & Son, Inc.
Pool: Ultimate Pools, Inc.