Location:
Status:
Client:
Typology:
Size:
Charlottesville, Virginia
Built, 2016-2020
Cassie & Carrington Guy
Single Family House
5,800 Square Feet
The client envisioned Three Chimney House as a home whose success would be measured over centuries. In response, the design is pure and elemental in form, defined by chimneys, walls, and roofs.
The house’s placement is rooted in the unique characteristics of the site. Positioned at the edge of the woods, it follows a roughly north-south orientation, with its primary functions distributed across distinct wings. Each wing is carefully rotated to frame picturesque natural views from every room.
A close study of local building traditions guided the use of materials such as brick, copper, and wood, which were reimagined and reassembled in innovative ways. Through this abstraction and reinterpretation of archetypal elements, we sought to create a timeless yet contemporary expression of Southern architecture in America.
Inspired by the iconic chimneys of Stratford Hall, located not far from where both clients grew up in Virginia, the three monumental chimneys define the house’s presence on the site. Standing 30 feet tall, they are visible from nearly every vantage point across the 45-acre property, serving as landmarks and points of orientation as the clients explore the grounds with their energetic Great Pyrenees Mountain Dog.
Acting as a counterpoint to the chimneys, 12-foot-tall site walls shape the progression of movement through the house. These walls are designed to both conceal and reveal the sweeping mountain views, while also grounding the house within the sloping natural landscape.
Inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s early 1920s brick country house, the design demonstrates how built forms can clarify the surrounding landscape without dominating it.
The Main Hall—which encompasses the kitchen, dining room, and living room—offers sweeping, unobstructed views of the Shenandoah Mountains. Attached to the south side of the Main Hall, the wood-clad Residential Wing is connected by a hallway that establishes a threshold into the more private areas of the home. To the north, branching off from the Main Hall, are an art studio and guest house.
T.W. Ryan, Thomas Ryan, Mitchell Price
Contractor:
Evergreen Construction
Photography:
Joe Fletcher
Location:
Status:
Client:
Typology:
Size:
Charlottesville, Virginia
Built, 2016-2020
Cassie & Carrington Guy
Single Family House
5,800 Square Feet
The client envisioned Three Chimney House as a home whose success would be measured over centuries. In response, the design is pure and elemental in form, defined by chimneys, walls, and roofs.
The house’s placement is rooted in the unique characteristics of the site. Positioned at the edge of the woods, it follows a roughly north-south orientation, with its primary functions distributed across distinct wings. Each wing is carefully rotated to frame picturesque natural views from every room.
A close study of local building traditions guided the use of materials such as brick, copper, and wood, which were reimagined and reassembled in innovative ways. Through this abstraction and reinterpretation of archetypal elements, we sought to create a timeless yet contemporary expression of Southern architecture in America.
Inspired by the iconic chimneys of Stratford Hall, located not far from where both clients grew up in Virginia, the three monumental chimneys define the house’s presence on the site. Standing 30 feet tall, they are visible from nearly every vantage point across the 45-acre property, serving as landmarks and points of orientation as the clients explore the grounds with their energetic Great Pyrenees Mountain Dog.
Acting as a counterpoint to the chimneys, 12-foot-tall site walls shape the progression of movement through the house. These walls are designed to both conceal and reveal the sweeping mountain views, while also grounding the house within the sloping natural landscape.
The Main Hall—which encompasses the kitchen, dining room, and living room—offers sweeping, unobstructed views of the Shenandoah Mountains. Attached to the south side of the Main Hall, the wood-clad Residential Wing is connected by a hallway that establishes a threshold into the more private areas of the home. To the north, branching off from the Main Hall, are an art studio and guest house.
T.W. Ryan, Thomas Ryan, Mitchell Price
Contractor:
Evergreen Construction
Photography:
Joe Fletcher