Riverbend is situated at the end of a quiet lane on a bend in the Bagaduce and rests atop a low ridge to capture views up and down the river. On this previously disturbed site, the owners have worked diligently to re-establish and enhance native plantings and provide habitat for nesting birds and other wildlife. The owners are also accomplished woodworkers and a primary aspect of the design brief was to create an accessible home that provides an interior connection between the primary living spaces and a workshop and storage area for year-round projects.
The structure was developed to knit together the different functional areas of the home: garage, living, and workshop, into a single efficient articulated building form rather than a series of separate volumes. A centralized home office space and screened porch functions as a bridge between the workshop areas and the home. This connector space also commands a view of the entry approach to one side and of the river to the other. The roof form – a simple low-sloped gable that is carved away, was designed so that threshold spaces of entry are well protected from rain and snow. The metal-clad roof form was also developed to host a PV array with an advantageous aspect and slope.
The home is built with a Passive house approach to the building shell with high levels of biogenic insulation, air-sealing, triple-glazed European windows and doors, and heat recovery ventilation. Areas of glazing are sized and placed carefully based on orientation and to capture views. Solar studies were used to understand shadow patterns throughout the day and seasonally. A dark exterior palette of stained eastern white cedar and Corten steel panels contrasts with a bright interior palette of white oak casework and flooring.
