Project Details
Project Description
Several years ago Kohler Plumbing Products ran a commercial where an affluent young couple presented a faucet to their architect and asked: "Design us a house around this.” This was much the same challenge when an aviation enthusiast (the Client owns 22 light aircraft), showed a brochure featuring a motorized Lazy Susan carousel housing four aircraft to the Architect, and asked: "Can you design me a home around this?" The house was to be built at the Falmouth Airpark, a planned residential community surrounding a 2.300 foot paved runway. The Architect did not need much convincing to take on the challenge of this project, as he was also a commercial pilot/ single engine aircraft owner, and shared the same passion for flight.. The main feature of the home is the 4 aircraft hangar, which required a 65' clear span floor area in each direction to hold the carousel Under the covenants of the Airpark bylaws, a minimum of 1,000 s.f livable area was required on the ground floor. Combined with the ubiquitous two car garage, this increased the first floor area to over 6,200 s.f. Responding to this challenge the Architect located the primary living areas above the hangar, and used a series of transition spaces organized around a central hall to link the various rooms within the home. The Architect also used a series of gables, dormers, and porches to disguise a mansard roof housing the second floor living spaces. The house facade is also designed with a dual personality sith the front facing the cul-de-sac appears as a grand Cape Cod Shingle Style home, complete with a peaked roof stair tower, entry porch and traditional detailing, while the rear of the house plays to the aviation component with a 45' wide bi-fold hangar door (detailed to resemble a carriage house door), two observation decks, and a second stair tower mimicking an airport control tower complete with wind sock. In addition to the four bedroom, 4 1/2 baths, the house holds two separate dining areas, great room, flight planning office, dedicated "Egyptian styled" home theater (accessed by elevator to a greeting mummy sarcophagus), and even a radio broadcast studio complete with "Green Room" and satellite uplink. The client host a nationally syndicated radio program that he broadcasts out each of his homes. Detailing of the interior uses a combination a decorative wood trims, beadboard and panels designed in contemporary "Cape Cod" style. Interior skylights provide ample sunlight in the house interior spaces. The entrant believes that this project is deserving of a Builder’s Choice Award because it blends a consistent architecture to a very complex program and technologically challenging project. The Architect’s clear use of space and circulation order reduces the interior scale to comfortable living areas. The Architect’s response to the size of the project reduces the overall home’s scale makes it looks a part of this residential community while complementing its aviation use. Consistent and refined detailing is evident on both the home’s interior and exterior.