Exterier

A food-service area with a bar is a defining feature.

The top floor of the two-story, 1,614-square-foot abode barely pokes above the rocky hillside it’s built into. Sliding glass walls on two sides of the main living space open to expansive cantilevered decks showcasing the bucolic landscape.

Glass sliding doors allow the living and dining areas to open up to the garden, so that the family can easily entertain. “The living room and dinning room are lined in wood to give them a warm feeling in contrast to the concrete floor and ceiling,” says Cesarman. The concrete wall features a chimney crafted of black granite for added visual interest.

The steel shading structure and massive concrete foundation help keep the home’s temperature a comfortable 70 degrees. In a climate where highs and lows can vary by 100 degrees, keeping temperatures stable would seem a huge energy drain. But the air-conditioning unit required by county codes still hasn’t been turned on.

With its expansive, geometric design and wide concrete-slab walkways, the enclosed central courtyard around which the house is organized creates outdoor space protected from the sometimes-inhospitable wind out of the northeast.

Ever aware of context, architect Henry Siegel says of his house, “A lot of architects’ buildings look better on a pedestal than in context. Our design would look out of place on a pedestal—we placed it so it really fits its specific site.”

In the winter, radiant heating keeps the house cozy while reducing the costs and the pollutants associated with traditional forced air.

The original design did not exploit the lower part of the house, so Carle added a bar and lounge area facing the lake at the ground level. He also installed water-based geothermal heating in the basement. “It allows the concrete floor to be heated and to generate most of the heating of the house, while a second smaller air pump assures a supplement of air on the ground floor and air conditioning for summer.”

Doors and triple-glazed casement windows from Loewen work hard to form a tight thermal envelope.

The 925-square-foot house Maggie Treanor calls home blends into the landscape somewhat; with a galvanized steel shed roof and siding, it looks like a high-design little brother to the barns on the surrounding farms.

A galvanized standing seam metal roof reflects about 90 percent of sunlight and heat, keeping the home cool. Lueders Limestone steps lead to a front door painted Benjamin Moore’s Yew Green.

Whitlock’s window frames are accented with Benjamin Moore’s Electric Orange ($6.50 per pint). “People go on vacation and take photos of all these vibrant houses and then they go home and paint their house brown,” Whitlock says. “Don’t be afraid of color.” A hint: When going Day-Glo bright, look for shades with barely there black undertones to mute their intensity. benjaminmoore.com

The house's triangular shape effectively blocks sight of a large wall that stands nearby. "The form of the plan really follows out of making the best for the garden and the views," Koolhaas says.

The back of the house includes areas to garden and a pathway

The house cantilevers slightly over a concrete wall, adding a touch of lightness and drama to its approach. Stairs beside to the cantilever lead to the entrance. On the upper level, a bedroom and family bathroom look out through the windows of the cantilevered façade.

Sky-high ceilings are created by a sculptural pitched roof. Its uneven angles are the result of the required setback distances from surrounding roads and houses.

Lean Machine-Architect Jesper Brask waited three years studying the site of his future vacation home before building, ultimately using wood felled in the space where the house was built and perfecting a design that melds indoors and out. Photo by: Karina Tengberg