Cedar shingles

John Puttick Associates have completed a cedar shingle clad mourners’ shelter at North Watford Cemetery outside of London. The shelter, open to the cemetery grounds, is where mourners gather to meet prior to a burial. The new building receiving up to twenty mourners is adjacent to a 1930s Cemetery Lodge designed by architect William Grace. The shelter played an important role this year in helping many of those affected by the pandemic to mark their loss and at a time when parting with loved ones has made it impossible for a final farewell at hospitals.   The organic form of the timber ten metre bench has been designed to mediate between the existing cemetery architecture and surrounding parkland. Its sculptural shape curves gen... More

Twenty years ago, Whitten Architects designed a home for a family on a 100-acre coastal farm in the town of Yarmouth. In 2017, we returned to the site to design a cottage for the next generation of the same family.   Set on a coastal bluff, the cottage offers views of islands to the east and a well-developed canopy of red oaks and white pines above. The site is set back from the shore with a rocky outcrop to the north and west. We carefully sited the new cottage and existing family home around fields, walking trails, tennis courts, a large barn, and pool.   Our client’s wish list included ample light, great views, an open plan, a well-organized mudroom, a private study, a ... More

Peaks Island, like much of Maine, is a place of dynamic contrasts. An island in Casco Bay, Peaks is accessible only by ferry and yet is a vibrant neighborhood of Portland, the state’s largest city. Home to its own elementary school, library, and police station, the island offers the best of two worlds: quaint charm and quiet beauty with all the trappings of city life through its vital connection to the mainland via Casco Bay Ferry Lines. Our clients, a young professional family from Boston, had a longtime attachment to the Portland area. The wife had grown up there and had spent time with extended family on Peaks Island where her grandfather had purchased a seasonal cottage in the early 1900s. The couple, with careers based in Boston... More

Stunning views and a private setting provide the backdrop for this relaxing family home. Exposed to weather extremes in all seasons, the south face of the house was in need of substantial repairs.  Renovations included replacing the original wood windows throughout the house, new cedar shingles on the lake side and structural upgrades to address curious 1980s framing. Window openings overlooking the lake were resized to limit obstructions to the view. Second floor balconies were removed and replaced with a deep porch overhang, balancing the proportions of the south elevation and lending shade to the main floor. Built low to the ground, the porch deck requires no railings, giving unobstructed views from all parts of the main floor. Th... More

In order to maintain the scale and character of the neighborhood, the extension to this 1950s house was positioned towards the rear of the property and sunken 4 feet into the ground to reduce the height of the second floor master suite. While keeping the majority of the existing house, cedar shingles were selected to blend in with the existing cedar siding. The cedar shingle volume is shaped in response to the root zones of the oak trees that surround the site. The foundation is sucked in to clear the root zone, tilting outwards to extend the floor plate of the second level so that the house bends away from outreaching branches as the sloped walls reach the roof parapet. The central staircase leads you to the master suite where windows are... More

An ever growing young family led to an evolving design in this project in Sydney’s east. An alteration and addition to an existing detached victorian house, our insertion at the rear aimed to bring much needed northern light into the new rear living spaces. This was achieved through a series of voids and clerestory windows, which add vertical dimension and a dialogue between private and public space. Again, this house builds upon the narritive of contrast in old and new – in materials, form and space.   Material Used :1. Custom Orb – Metal Roofing – Colorbond Lysaught2. Klip-Lok – Metal Roofing – Colorbond Lysaught3. Western Red Cedar Shingles, Porter’s Palm Beach Black – Facade Claddin... More

We designed this extension and renovation of a Northcote Edwardian home for a young family of six, which the owners skillfully managed and built. Their unique craftsmanship, material choices and dedication to detail resulted in a masterful design that feels generous and warm throughout.   The house was planned with two zones (one for adults and one for children). Located at opposite ends of the house, the central living space connects the two areas. The newly built family living room is a voluminous and tactile space, featuring exposed Tasmanian Oak timber panels on the walls and pitched ceiling, complementing the reclaimed brick walls and handmade Anchor Ceramic tiles.   Large sliding doors expose this spacious room to natura... More

David Agnello Peter Cook   Perched high above the town of Jackson Hole, this home has wide views of snow-capped peaks and the vast valley of the Grand Teton National Park.   Our clients, themselves exceptionally talented designers, embarked on this project after falling in love with the place and set out on a journey to create a beautiful home in this extraordinary landscape. Peter Cook Peter Cook The design unites elements of both European chalet and classic American cabin. The orientation, design and natural materials - reclaimed and new - ensure the building links to the land. The silvered cedar shingle roof blends with the majestic landscape beyond. As the years pass the external stonework will cover wi... More

This house rests at the harbour’s edge in the leafy Auckland suburb of Westmere.   Our client was committed to eastern spirituality and nourishment of the soul and our role was to interpret this in a New Zealand context with a house that belonged to this place. We aimed to create an earthy and soulful home, a place of spiritual calm and a peaceful haven in the city.   A rough, textured insitu cast concrete wall forms a spine, defining the ridgeline and the circulation flow through the house. Landscaped courtyards open off either side allowing sunlight, air and nature into the heart of the house. The steeply angled roof planes and peripheral walls are clad in cedar shingles, like a feather cloak draped over the structure.... More

Standing on a blank site, you are struck by its magnitude of beauty. Called the "Rio de Janeiro of North America" by Alexander Graham Bell, due to the picturesque Bras d'Or Lake punctuated by the sizeable island just offshore, the rolling mountains that form the backdrop of the building site are almost completely evergreen and deciduous trees, which are particularly well known for their fall showing of colour. Amongst the sea of emerald green, you see the elongated shape of the white St. Andrew`s Presbyterian Church that sits along the shore in the town of Whycocomagh. As the only point of reference to the township, the house was designed with two aspects. The entryway provides a framed view of the white church sitting across the lake in th... More

Set atop a hardened lava flow with views of sky, sun, and water, this family compound strikes a balance between modernity and tradition. Old and new ebb and flow through a simple composition of small structures linked by a lush courtyard and a series of walkways and patios. Composed of four independent structures, including a cedar-clad main living pod, the siting balances the desire to host friends and family as well as privacy. Architecture and interiors are modern yet rely heavily on traditional materials and touchstones. “We call it the 'Village,” notes Greg Warner, of the arrangement, a grouping of four separate structures. The home is built to rest gently in the landscape but also to last for generations. “We execute... More

This project is the extension and reworking of an early Twentieth Century Arts and Crafts bungalow. The existing house had been poorly renovated in the 1980s and suffered from a lack of connection to the north facing rear yard and awkwardly configured children’s bedrooms within an attic conversion. The client’s brief was to open the house to the rear yard, provide 3 new children’s bedrooms on an upper level, together with new bathrooms, laundry and wardrobes and to rework the rooms of the original house to provide a library / music room and TV room. A small swimming pool and new carport were also required in the rear yard.   The strategy adopted was to demolish the 1980s addition at the rear, together with the major... More

Seattle Firm Transforms Craftsman While Honoring Home’s Classic RootsBest Practice Architecture’s recently completed renovation is the perfect mix of modern updates and old school charm. After living in their home for several years, one Seattle family realized they had outgrown their small, traditionally sized house. They wanted more room and open spaces that connected the interior to the woodsy backyard. And they knew one other thing for sure: They wanted to maintain the classic craftsman presence on the street front and keep as many of the large specimen trees in the front yard as possible. Best Practice Architecture was selected for the project and was up for the challenge. Today, the classic craftsman has been transformed i... More