AIA Baltimore Awards - AIA Baltimore Awards 2021
Residential Design Awards
2021-10-27 13:30:06
RESIDENTIAL DESIGN AWARD
BRIGHTON HOUSE
KEVIN VANDEMAN, AIA, AND GARY JAMES INGLIS, RIBA, RIAS
The house is a private residence for a family of five and two grandparents, located on a 5-acre site in a rural setting near Brighton Dam on the Triadelphia Reservoir in Maryland. To preserve the natural beauty of the site and respond to the sensitive ecosystem of the surrounding area, the owners and architects created a set of sustainability benchmarks and design goals to guide them during the development of the project, with the intent that the design solution would dissolve the interior and exterior spaces into their natural surroundings. Programmatic elements include three bedrooms, two office spaces designed for adaptation into bedrooms, five baths, a prep kitchen and main kitchen, a family recreation area, a separate autonomous in-law suite, and a living room large enough to accommodate frequent multigenerational family gatherings.
The design solution organized the program around two large exterior living spaces: a landscape terrace on the south that brings daylight, fresh air, passive heating and quality views to nature from all occupied rooms on the lower level, and a north terrace that connects the living spaces on the upper level and frames views out to the meadow.
Passive design strategies precede the use of high-performance technology, including optimized solar orientation and window-to-wall ratios, and operable triple-glazed windows for natural ventilation. The minimal composition of the house exterior veils the complexity of the building tectonics and systems within, including a structural insulated panel exterior achieving R-35 at the walls and R-45 at the roofs. An airtight and smart vapor-variable membrane wraps both the interior and exterior of the structural envelope. Efficient systems in the house include a ground source geothermal heat pump tied to the HVAC system and radiant floors, a ventilation system with heat recovery, hybrid-electric water heaters with heat pumps, LED lighting, and a 22-kW 60-panel solar array with battery backup, all monitored and controlled by a smart home system.
Sustainable design strategies focused on improving the occupants’ health and well-being and reducing the impact on the site and ecosystem. Natural light fills the high ceilings in all occupied rooms, with almost no electric lighting necessary during daylight hours. All water is sourced and treated within the 100 percent permeable site, with no potable water being used for irrigation. Solar energy collected within the footprint of the building provides enough clean renewable energy to meet the annual needs of the house and charge the family’s electric vehicle. When excluding the electric vehicle from the calculation, the house alone is a net-positive energy building. However, the decision was made with the client early in the design process to include the electric vehicle in the energy model due to the site not being connected to a walkable community. The house was verified to be net-zero energy after one year of post-occupancy data.
JURY COMMENTS
The jury appreciated the sophistication and controlled material palette. It allowed for a creative interior with plenty of natural light and geometry. The material choices integrate the project into the natural environment around the home. The strength of the project lies in the sustainability measures taken to make the house net-zero energy.
OWNER: Deric and Keri Tomenko | ARCHITECTURAL AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN TEAM: Kevin Vandeman, AIA; Gary James Inglis, RIBA, RIAS | PREVIOUS SCHEMATIC DESIGN: Blu Homes | GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Timothy J. Burton | CIVIL ENGINEER: Benchmark Engineering Inc. | STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Robert Wixson, PE | MECHANICAL ENGINEER: Borchers Mechanical Services Inc. | ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: Builders Electric Service Inc. | PHOTOGRAPHY: Kevin Vandeman, AIA
RESIDENTIAL DESIGN HONORABLE MENTION
ROCKY KNOB SAUNA
GRID ARCHITECTS
On a remote mountain farm in West Virginia, a series of rudimentary saunas had been constructed since the late 1970s. Each iteration advanced the relative permanence of the structure. Unfortunately, the last iteration burned down a quarter century after the first. For another 15 years, the site — at the edge of a spring-fed pond — lay dormant, setting the stage for another generation to reimagine the sauna.
This time around, the project emerged as a research-driven design/build. Blending students, professionals and craftsmen throughout the process, this sauna became an experimental undertaking where participants learned by doing. As part of the design process, the team researched sauna traditions throughout the world. This research directly impacted the design of the sauna, which abstractly references those traditions while simultaneously reflecting vernacular farm outbuildings from the region. These references are evident in the structure’s form, craft and materiality.
Leading up to, and during, the team’s 10-day sojourn to construct the sauna, a primary challenge was remoteness. The logistical complexities included getting materials, tools and supplies to the property as well as accessing the site, which sits along a narrow ridge just at the edge of the pond. Without access to heavy machinery, all aspects of the work were completed manually or with small transportable power tools. While intentionally small (65 square feet), handcrafted and reflecting the local vernacular, major components of the design required a high level of technical expertise and construction capability, much of which was learned by the team while on-site or strategically supplemented by local craftsmen.
JURY COMMENTS
This project is a deliberate and creative design, within a modest footprint. Much of the project’s strengths lie in its unique design process, team and construction methods. The building served as an educational tool, providing hands-on experience to the design and construction process. The design build process reflects a holistic approach to sustainability.
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM: GriD architects – Brian Grieb, AIA; Alick Dearie; Ed Leedy; Juan Manjarres; Kristen Hoover; Zahra Williams; Adam Read, AIA | GENERAL CONTRACTOR: GriD architects | PHOTOGRAPHY: Brycen Fischer | CONSULTANTS: Alt Welding, Bill’s Portable Welding, Elemental Metalworks, MF Fire, MillerMetal Fabrication, Rocky Knob Christmas Tree Farm
©Innovative Publishing Ink. View All Articles.