A Place in the Woods, of a Hill, with a View

Project Details

Project Description

Living in the home for almost 15 years, the owners had fallen in love with the site, it’s mature trees, outdoor rooms and views of downtown Nashville, yet the house as built, took advantage of almost none of the outdoor features. The primary design goal for the project was to renovate the house to allow the living spaces to better engage with the existing natural surroundings and views and to transform the house functionally and architecturally to be rooted in the site, providing a sense of place for the owner family.   The existing house consisted of approximately 4500 square feet of heated area on 2 levels, a main level and garden level. Like so many 60’s ranch houses, it was designed as a homage to the car with the carport becoming the first thing seen and by default, the place where family and guest alike would enter. The existing entry was located beyond the carport and was visually hidden. The renovation included the addition of approximately 1400 square feet in three key areas for a total of 5900 square feet.   To achieve the design objectives of the project, four interventions were implemented. The first intervention included the re-orientation of the house entry and the building of a bridge to extend a new invitation of welcome. Next, the entrance opened to a transformed interior living/entertainment space with an open plan configuration. Opening the home allowed the third intervention, which was a connection of the kitchen and living space to the exterior completing the inside-outside continuity theme. Lastly, the theme culminates in the master bedroom where the home owners wake every morning, as if in a tree house with the view of treetops and Nashville’s skyline.