Blueberry Ridge VOTE

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TypeNew
LocationPittsboro, NC
Year Completed2026
Square Footage2968
Description
In form and footprint, environmental conservation and building materials, the design for this 2968-square-foot house was fully informed by its place – the land, climate, culture, topography, and the “particular sticks and stones”* of construction. Our clients requested a modern, net-zero home on their wooded site, welcoming the conceptual deference to sustainability and regionally appropriate design and construction. The property for their 2-level, 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath house is steep, rising almost 200 feet from the street. Prioritizing daylighting, minimal land disturbance, and contextual beauty, we positioned the house on the brow of the hill with windows facing a 20-mile view to the south. Deep rooflines provide the interior shading needed from the high summer sun yet allow warming winter sun to slip underneath. Saving hardwood trees was another priority, especially a 29-inch-diameter oak immediately outside a large screen porch that extends the living/dining/kitchen space outdoors. To save the tree's roots from construction damage, we cantilevered the porch. Wooden bridges to the main entrance, the detached one-car garage (reminiscent of vernacular home sites), an observation/BBQ deck, and a private porch off the main bedroom offer more opportunities to engage with the natural surroundings. In response to North Carolina’s hot summers and to maintain progress towards net-zero function, Blueberry Ridge features a white “cool roof” membrane; triple-paned, passive-house-rated windows and doors; uber-insulation far beyond building code; and extensive air sealing. It is also ready to receive a solar array soon. We specified sustainable raw concrete for the foundation wall. At ground level, the first floor seems to float in and out of the foundation line along a generous east-west axis that provides the entire south elevation, upper and lower levels, with optimal natural light and views. For the exterior walls, we specified Shou Sugi Ban on cedar, an ancient Japanese technique for combatting insect damage to wood -- a serious problem throughout North Carolina. With Shou Sugi Ban, the wood’s surface is charred to produce a durable, rot-proof, and insect-repellent siding in a distinctive black textured patina. The modern, minimalist interior recalls Shaker design sensibility -- light, neutral palette; unadorned shapes and surfaces; and quality wood – to transcend time through simplicity. Charred wood, raw concrete, natural light, panoramic vistas, and multiple opportunities to interact with the outdoors – these elements connect this house to the land with sensitivity and clarity. The result is a warm, comfortable, and contextually appropriate interpretation of modern, minimalist residential design that, we believe, is clearly of its time and in its place. * “Harris, Harwell Hamilton” by Frank Harmon, FAIA, North Carolina Architects & Builders, 2012
Firm Information
Firm NameArielle Condoret Schechter, Archirect, PLLC, AIA
Project LeaderArielle Condoret Schechter, AIA
AddressChapel Hill, NC 27517
Phone919-215-5888
Emailacsarchitect@icloud.com
Websitehttps://www.acsarchitect.com
Project Team
Structural Engineer, Mitch Fluhrer, Fluhrer Residential Structures; Interior Designer, Arielle Condoret Schechter, AIA; General Contractor, NewPhire Building; Photographer, Tzu Chen Photography; All cabinetry plus orange sink custom-designed by Arielle Condoret Schechter, AIA Cabinet Fabrication: Bo Taylor Windows: Eurostar Fenestration Siding: ArborWood Shou Sugi Ban Stair Fabrication: Rick Cuarto, Storybook Metal Fabrications Lighting: Artemide, Louis Poulsen, Flos, Sonneman, and others Job Superintendent: Chris Kerscher
Video URLhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbrKQdyck7E