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Project posted by Kim Weiss

The Baboolal Residence

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Location
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Year
2021
Structure
House (Single Residence)
Style
Modern
The roof's deep overhang provides covering for the deck and exposes the rich cypress wood overhead. The dark siding is Nichiha fiber cement.
The roof's deep overhang provides covering for the deck and exposes the rich cypress wood overhead. The dark siding is Nichiha fiber cement.
An aerial view shows the house in context and the array of solar panels on the flat roof's white cool-roof membrane.
An aerial view shows the house in context and the array of solar panels on the flat roof's white cool-roof membrane.
When the sun is high, the deep roof overhangs provide an abundance of shade.
When the sun is high, the deep roof overhangs provide an abundance of shade.
Indoors and outdoors become one extended living space when the wall-sized sliding glass doors are open.
Indoors and outdoors become one extended living space when the wall-sized sliding glass doors are open.
Viewed from among the pines, the natural cypress on the largest roof section seems to glow in the sun.
Viewed from among the pines, the natural cypress on the largest roof section seems to glow in the sun.
The screened porch seems to float above the landscape.
The screened porch seems to float above the landscape.
Natural light splashes on the hickory flooring from clerestory windows. The kitchen is visible to the right of the front door.
Natural light splashes on the hickory flooring from clerestory windows. The kitchen is visible to the right of the front door.
The view through the public zone all the way to the "borrowed" scenery in the distance.
The view through the public zone all the way to the "borrowed" scenery in the distance.
The clear east-west axis extends through the center of the house to the screened porch beyond the glass door at the end of the hall.
The clear east-west axis extends through the center of the house to the screened porch beyond the glass door at the end of the hall.
The long window in the kitchen maintains a visual connection with the southern portion of the property. Architect Arielle Condoret Schechter designed the walnut cabinets.
The long window in the kitchen maintains a visual connection with the southern portion of the property. Architect Arielle Condoret Schechter designed the walnut cabinets.
The spa-like main bathroom features a high ceiling, black floor tiles, a dual sink vanity, a deep soaking tub, and a shower with a hexagonal tile accent wall.
The spa-like main bathroom features a high ceiling, black floor tiles, a dual sink vanity, a deep soaking tub, and a shower with a hexagonal tile accent wall.
A whimsical playroom, reached solely through the two adjacent bedrooms, is a key element in the kids' portion of the "private zone."
A whimsical playroom, reached solely through the two adjacent bedrooms, is a key element in the kids' portion of the "private zone."
As a Net Zero house, the Baboolal Residence is so air-tight, super-insulated, and energy-efficient that it produces as much renewable energy as it consumes in a year, leaving the homeowners with a Net Zero energy bill and a carbon-free home.
As a Net Zero house, the Baboolal Residence is so air-tight, super-insulated, and energy-efficient that it produces as much renewable energy as it consumes in a year, leaving the homeowners with a Net Zero energy bill and a carbon-free home.
The floor plan -- open, airy, and a seamless progression of volumes and spaces.
The floor plan -- open, airy, and a seamless progression of volumes and spaces.

Details

Bedrooms
3
Full Baths
2

Credits

Posted by
Architect
Interior Design
Builder
Newphire Building
Photographer
Tzu Chen

From Kim Weiss

Frustrated by the wasted space and illogical planning of their cookie-cutter subdivision house, the Baboolals wanted a new, modern, Net Zero home, custom-designed to their exact needs and lifestyle, with a strong indoor-outdoor connection.

Programmatically, the family required contrasting elements:

Public Zone –– The Baboolals have two young children and pets, so they wanted an open, airy, "public zone" where family and friends would be together. This zone, the heart of the house, includes a gourmet kitchen, dining/living spaces, and a broad deck across the back of the house. The entire north wall is composed of operable glass doors, built to passive-house standards for energy efficiency, that provide a constant visual and physical connection to the outdoors. A study/music room, an ample pantry, a laundry room, and the entrance to the two-car garage are also part of the public zone.

The architect custom-designed all of the walnut cabinetry in the kitchen, baths, and throughout the house. The flooring is hickory.

Private Zone –– The family also needed a "private zone" for parents and kids to have separate bedroom suites befitting their separate needs. For the parents -- a pediatric anesthesiologist and a pediatric nurse -- this volume also provides a "quiet zone" for transitioning from their stressful professional lives to their home life, as well as the main bedroom, a spa-like bath, and a screened porch cantilevered from the eastern elevation. A playroom completes the kids' portion of the "private zone" and is accessible only from their separate bedrooms.

The Shakkei Solution –– The Baboolals' property was an initial challenge. Neighbors' homes, a residential development, and the forest surround the western and southern portions of the site. The northern side was clearly the best option for a family lawn and fire pit. That portion also provided the best view from the house and deck: a natural grassy meadow that's protected from future development because it's actually a large septic field. Since the meadow is part of a neighbor’s estate, the architect and her clients invoked "Shakkei," the Japanese concept of "borrowing" a landscape or scenery to enjoy from the house and deck.

In plan, the one-story, 2400-square foot house is based on a simple, fluid spatial progression. The covered main entrance on the southern elevation leads into the foyer, which flows into the main living space, which overlooks the "borrowed scenery" and opens directly onto the deck.

The Baboolal residence is a high-performance, Net Zero house. Features that contribute to this high level of sustainable design include:

• An air-tight building envelope
• Photovoltaic array on the roof
• White cool-roof membrane
• An abundance of glazing that provides optimal natural light and ventilation throughout the house
• Triple-glazed passive house-rated windows and doors (by Awilux via Eurostar Fenestration)
• Deep roof overhangs to protect and shade the glazing/interior.
• High SEER heat pump system
• Nichiha fiber cement and Cypress wood siding
• Thermory decking