This 4200 SF private residence located in Auburn, Alabama, expresses a connection to the regional vernacular, celebrates a woodland site, and integrates sustainable design strategies.
This residence is a response to three main goals set forth by the client: a home that reflects their sense of responsibility and stewardship of the environment; a home that evokes the language of traditional southern vernacular buildings but expresses this connection in a contemporary way; and, a home that celebrates the natural features of a beautiful, wooded site located in the rural periphery of Auburn, Alabama.
The solution that evolved from these goals is a four bedroom, 4200 SF home that arrays the primary program areas over two levels (atop a garage and partial basement). The parti is based on a simple “L” configuration, framing a courtyard space on the uphill side and arranging the major program elements into two relatively slender wings, allowing for passive cross ventilation and choreographed views into the landscape. The living room is placed in the shelter of the two arms and celebrates the view into the woodland on the uphill side of the site. Simple exterior materials and iconic vernacular forms evoke a memory of rural farmhouses, but with a modern twist.
The green design aspects of the home rest on two strategies. Narrow cross sections and generous windows allow for day lighting and passive cross ventilation. Additionally, the building envelope and systems are designed to minimize the energy needed to cool and heat the home. This residence is Energy Star certified, and is the first home to attain the highest level (Green Key) of the Home Builders Association of Alabama’s new sustainable building program.
Project Team: David Hinson, Christian Dagg, Rebecca O’Neal Dagg, Uel Bassett, Steven Ward, Gorham Bird
Structural Engineer: Joe Weatherford
Interior Consultant: Annie Hinson
General Contractor: John Stewart
HINSON + DAGG ARCHITECTS, LLC. 