Article source: READER & SWARTZ ARCHITECTS

This house was originally a two story, nondescript, 1970’s “farmhouse” with no architectural merit, clad in baby blue vinyl siding. The house had mold problems, and, consequently, its inhabitants had respiratory issues. Despite its pedestrian character and inadequate size, the house did have one thing going for it—it sat on the right place on its site, within a ring of mature trees. Because of its siting, and because the owners were concerned about conserving natural resources, a decision was made not to tear down and relocate the house. Instead, the design parti was to keep the box of the original house as the central core, add two wings which help make outdoor spaces and optimize the sun path, and rethink the building massing.

Image Courtesy © Hoachlander Davis

• Architects: READER & SWARTZ ARCHITECTS
• Project: SONGBIRD LANE
• Location: Frederick County, Virginia
• Photography: Hoachlander Davis
• Builder: R.L. Hayes Enterprises, LLC;  and M.T. Puskar
• Structural Engineer: Painter-Lewis, P.L.C.
• Mechanical Engineer: Comfort Design, Inc.
• Landscape Architect: Siteworks
• Millwork: Dovetail Millwork

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