Rappahannock River House

Perched on a previously developed south bluff above the Rappahannock River, this home is located within a quaint cottage community dating to the 1940’s at the edge of dense coastal hardwood forests and wetlands. The expressed client objective was for a modernist home conducive to entertaining and healthy living while demonstrating best practices for low-impact redevelopment within the Chesapeake Bay Resource Protection Area. An existing wood-framed cottage will be deconstructed to make way for a new residence that conforms precisely to the original footprint by re-using the current foundation walls. The planning of the new home captures the essence and enjoyment of the original dwelling by providing increased primary living space that functions essentially like a large screen porch. Among the numerous high-performance attributes, this home will perform as an annual net-energy exporter with a photovoltaic roof canopy working in tandem with a vertical axis wind turbine. Aside from the passive and protective advantages, a bris soleil at the south façade and a wind foil to the north are reminiscent of wooden boats central to the nautical history and vernacular of the region.

Biodata

Location: Deltaville, Virginia
Latitude: 37.60 N
Longitude: 77.40W
Elevation: ~ 25 ft
Climate: Mixed-Humid
Sun Hours/Day: 4.5
Conditioned Area: 2340 gsf
Year Complete: 2007