Wonalancet Residence

When the owner approached us, her design program was concise and simple: "It cannot look like a cape, it must be energy efficient, the home will use no fossil fuels, must be comfortable and cozy, with space(s) for my books and my music, and little to no upkeep.”

 

The building site is a winding low hillock in an area of glacial karnes–gravel terraces that remained after the receding glaciers of the Wisconsin Age. It is also moderately wooded, relatively flat, and the driveway runs parallel to a seasoned pasture. Of the trees at the building site marked for removal, many were milled on site for use in constructing the home.

 

Building site development and construction materials were carefully researched and chosen: on- site gravel, milling of timber for use in the house timbers and garage framing and sheathing; additional lumber and shingles were locally sourced as much as possible. In all, the products chosen had to be easily available (“as close to home as possible”), of good to excellent quality, requiring minimal to no upkeep, and durable.

 

The home is slightly less than 1,500 SF (this does not include the unfinished basement at 875 SF), an extremely energy-efficient (Energy Star certified) structure, and powered by renewable energy from a photovoltaic array on the south facing roof.

 

The HERS rating for the building is 22.
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A 2012 Building New Hampshire Award Winner - 'Best Home' Residential New Construction Award