Merkel Cooper Residence in Troutman, North Carolina by in situ studio

Article source: in situ studio

The house is set in a hill, just below the crest, overlooking a lake. The entry drive meanders through a hardwood forest and up the hill, approaching the house from the south. The first glimpse of the house is offered near the top of the drive, revealing the combined carport/entry and the service end of the main house volume. Public spaces are hidden on the north end of the house, opening to views of the lake and a deep valley filled with beech trees. A series of site walls negotiate between the steep slope and the simple house form.

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

• Architects: in situ studio
• Project: Merkel Cooper Residence
• Location: Troutman, North Carolina, USA
• Photography: Keith Isaacs
• Area: 3,291 sf
• Year: 2017

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

The main level of the house is accessed through a combined carport/entry, composed as a series of layers – wood screen, banded glass wall, structure – that lead to an entry vestibule and the stair. Once inside, movement is around the kitchen volume and into the dining and living spaces. Here one first sees the lake and the beech forest in the valley below. The north end of the main level is a private deck that hovers at the edge of the valley precipice.  All bedrooms are upstairs, with the master at the north end to capture the same lake and valley views. A small “sanctuary” space is in the basement, at the bottom of the three-story stair. This space is for reading by the fire and accessing the lake trail.

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

The foundation and site walls for the house are parged concrete block, and the majority of the structure is wood. The large carport roof is structured to be a thin plane that extends off the west side and creates an arrival space. The large entry opening in the wall where the carport roof meets the main volume of the house is the only location where structural steel is used. The plan is arranged around a three-story stair that is the defining feature of the entry. Membrane roofs, cementitious plank and panel siding, and aluminum-clad wood windows make up the majority of the humble exterior material palette, with storefront windows used at larger openings and wood accents. The interior is made of sheetrock, wood floors, and simple tile. The contours of the space and generous supply of natural light animate this spare palette. Generous roof overhangs shuttle water away from the structure and provide shade. The house is a simple structure sited to maximize the experience of the hillside, forest, and distant lake.

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

Image Courtesy © Keith Isaacs

Ground level plan, Image Courtesy © in situ studio

Upper level plan, Image Courtesy © in situ studio

Transverse section, Image Courtesy © in situ studio

Plan diagram, Image Courtesy © in situ studio

Tags: North Carolina, USA

Categories: House, Residential

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