Half a mile from the Atlantic, down a narrow road bordered by old stone walls, a dark stacked form emerges from the birch, oak, and pine of Maine’s York County. This is the Elemental House, a home for Joe and Katie Edwards and their two young children that was designed by OPAL Architecture to feel as if it had always been part of the landscape.

“We wanted the home to have a dark tone on the exterior that would make it disappear to some extent in the shadows of the woods,” explains OPAL design partner Riley Pratt. “The dark exterior and moments of transparency through the home create a lantern-like effect that we find quite beautiful.”

Coming from nearly a decade in small city apartments—including a six-year stint in a basement unit—the couple’s brief was clear. “Our first priority was a house that made us feel connected to the outside world,” says Joe. Beyond that, they desired space to grow as a family, the ability to work from home, and the efficiency of a house informed by Passive House principles to minimize ongoing costs.

The 2,050-square-foot home is organized around an L-shaped plan that separates an open living wing from a quieter bedroom wing and wraps around a private yard. “We like to design homes with clear organization structured by circulation,” explains Pratt. “Moving through the home is an opportunity to connect with the environment, the time of day, the quality of light, even if only for moments.” Enormous floor-to-ceiling glass windows are situated at the ends of each axis, punctuating the dark envelope with transparency so the house glows warmly after dusk.

The home is clad in Nakamoto Forestry’s Gendai Linseed Black yakisugi, a charred Japanese cedar siding—commonly known as shou sugi ban outside of Japan—that the Edwards discovered during their own research into cladding options. “We were really struck by shou sugi ban’s balance of style with substance and quickly fell in love with it as a material,” says Katie. “It’s durable, pest and fire resistant and it has a striking, naturally-derived texture.” When the couple introduced Nakamoto Forestry to OPAL Architecture, Pratt was equally taken.

Produced using traditional charring rather than chemical or engineered wood modification, yakisugi is estimated to last 80 to 150 years." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Trent Bell" photoUserId="6133535754879373312"/>

Pratt had previously experimented with charring wood by hand on a previous project, but had mixed results. Nakamoto Forestry, however, has been perfecting the process for over 50 years and has deep roots in Japan and the yakisugi tradition.

“Having a manufactured version with consistent quality is a great resource,” says Pratt. “We were drawn to the beautiful natural tones and textures the process creates on the surface, which allows for variation while using the same material.”

That same long-term thinking, grounded in Passive House principles to reduce operating costs and lower carbon impact, also solidified the choice of cladding. Yakisugi costs less than many high-end wood siding options, and roughly half the price of traditional brick or stone. Its durability and maintenance-optional finish also mean the Edwards won’t face the regular refinishing or replacement cycles associated with untreated wood.

While the exterior of the home is defined by its striking black facade, the interior is approached with a principle of what the homeowners call “soft contrast.” Bright walls and soft fabrics create a cozy, hygge-inspired atmosphere, while locally sourced white ash accents and intentionally minimal furnishings allow the home to remain a tranquil forest retreat. “Given the site’s wooded nature the interiors needed to feel bright in contrast,” says Pratt.

A flexibly programmed second-floor loft, accessed via a stairway with a wood screen element, has become the family’s most-loved space. “It’s our everything room—equal parts office, gym, guestroom, and playroom,” says Joe. “It’s also great being able to step out onto the roof from there. We’ve caught magical northern lights displays and seen a baby fawn take its first steps.”

Importantly, the all-electric home uses high levels of insulation, heat recovery ventilation, and triple-glazed windows to achieve a high energy efficiency without any renewable energy offsets.

“This project really taught us that a composition of basic forms can create a complex and meaningful site response as simple spaces become endlessly compelling when realised with a powerful connection to nature,” says Pratt. “But—the rich material quality of the exterior is critical when creating more minimalist designs.”

Project Credits:

Design: OPAL Architecture

Contractor: StoneWood Builders

Structural Engineering: Thornton Tomasetti

Siding: Nakamoto Forestry

Photography: Trent Bell

Learn more at nakamotoforestry.com.

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