River House

At a bend in the river, on a sloping hill enveloped by mature trees and beautiful landscaping, sits a jewel box of an all-electric home. Designed to allow its owners to age in place, while also hosting multiple generations, the small footprint of this home provides a stylistic kick.

More than a century after its construction, the home was purchased by a nature-loving couple hoping to retire along the water’s edge. Understanding that the underbuilt and uninsulated cottage would need considerable work to make it comfortable and practical as a permanent residence, the homeowners faced a choice: demolish the cottage, which was identified by the City as “preservation preferred” due to its age…. or get really creative.

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They chose the latter. The goal became to reinvent the original home as a celebration of its location, acknowledging both the scale and character of the century-old neighborhood and the natural wonder in its backyard.

The project started by putting the structure on stilts while the new foundation was dug and poured and all of the traditional energy efficient aspects were added. The newly airtight envelope employs 2×6 framing with dense-packed cellulose insulation and reclaimed exterior poly-iso foam insulation. Next, we utilized the Aero Barrier air sealing system to bring the home’s air tightness to below 1 ACH (air changes per hour). Along the glassiest facades, a double-stud assembly carries the weight of triple-glazed windows and a massive sliding door. Efficient air source heat pumps, a heat pump water heater, and balanced fresh-air ventilation with energy recovery make this an all-electric, high performance building.

The homeowners requested that the remodeled home maintain a traditional front facade to complement surrounding historic buildings. Around its more private north- and east- facing elevations, bold angles and contemporary floor-to-ceiling windows blur the line between the interior and exterior living.

Weekly communication between the Auburndale Builders team and the design team at Kaplan Thompson ensured that this project worked smoothly. The very modern approach of no trim and super clean lines meant that the construction crew needed to be very clear of the building expectations and the best way to achieve those goals. Because of this approach, those areas where there are specific details – like the stairs on the first floor – are all the more stunning.

The floor area of the completed project is more than twice that of the original home, growing from less than 1,500 square feet of enclosed living space to more than 3,000. The total building footprint, however, has grown by just 280 square feet via a two-story addition containing a garage and primary bedroom wing above.

Despite the hurdles of historic and conservation requirements, we were able to build this new home around the aspects that kept it rooted to its history – the original chimney and fieldstone foundation. Native plantings added by Richardson & Associates and the mature trees provide shady spots for the owners to enjoy from their deck as they soak in the river view.