New construction is a rare thing in our practice — most of our work involves working with what’s already there. But when the right site and the right clients come along, the blank canvas presents its own set of opportunities and responsibilities.

Starting From Scratch

The 0.4-acre lot on Hillcrest Drive was flat, south-facing, and surrounded by mature oaks. It was also a blank canvas in a neighborhood of 1960s ranch houses, which meant that what we built would define the character of that corner for the next hundred years.

That’s not a responsibility we take lightly.

Organizing Principle

The design is organized around a single idea: a sheltered central courtyard that connects all major living spaces. Every room in the house has direct access to or views of this outdoor room, which becomes the heart of daily life from spring through fall.

The courtyard isn’t a feature of the house. It is the house.

The courtyard also drives the passive solar strategy. Deep overhangs on the south-facing glass block the high summer sun while welcoming the low winter sun. Thermal mass in the concrete floors stores heat through the day and releases it at night.

Craft at Scale

Even on a new build, the details are where the character lives. We milled the ceiling beams from a white oak felled on the property. The kitchen cabinetry is painted shaker in a warm off-white, with unlacquered brass hardware that will patina beautifully over time.

The exterior is board and batten cedar with a standing seam metal roof — materials that age gracefully and require minimal maintenance.

Living Lightly

The finished house is 2,100 square feet — modest by current standards, but generous in how it lives. No room is wasted. Every square foot is doing something useful.

The owners report that their heating bills are a fraction of what they paid in their previous home. More importantly, they tell us they’ve never felt more connected to the seasons, the light, and the land their home sits on.

That’s the goal.