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Editor’s Pick

Westwood House

View 18 Photos
Location
Westwood Place, Asheville, North Carolina
Year
2019
Structure
House (Single Residence)
Style
Modern
A covered front porch spills out to the yard and anchors the house to the site.
A covered front porch spills out to the yard and anchors the house to the site.
Solar panels populate the upper roof, and a double-height atrium in the middle helps to break up the home's massing.
Solar panels populate the upper roof, and a double-height atrium in the middle helps to break up the home's massing.
Looking from the foyer toward the central, light-filled atrium.
Looking from the foyer toward the central, light-filled atrium.
A vintage ladder in the foyer leads to a hidden loft above the kitchen.
A vintage ladder in the foyer leads to a hidden loft above the kitchen.
An energy-efficient, Danish wood-burning stove by Rais anchors one corner of the living room.
An energy-efficient, Danish wood-burning stove by Rais anchors one corner of the living room.
A keyhole doorway marks the boundary between public and private sides of the house.
A keyhole doorway marks the boundary between public and private sides of the house.
When not in use, a TV is covered by a sliding barn door.
When not in use, a TV is covered by a sliding barn door.
The entryway features handmade Spanish tile floors and pine walls.
The entryway features handmade Spanish tile floors and pine walls.
The master bedroom centers a bed frame by Floyd and a vintage rug.
The master bedroom centers a bed frame by Floyd and a vintage rug.
A ladder leads to the sleeping nook.
A ladder leads to the sleeping nook.
Vintage furniture used as a bath vanities saved on the budget.
Vintage furniture used as a bath vanities saved on the budget.
A compact washer and dryer slide under a white oak counter for folding clothes.
A compact washer and dryer slide under a white oak counter for folding clothes.

Details

Square Feet
3000
Lot Size
.14 acre
Bedrooms
4
Full Baths
3

Credits

Posted by
Architect
Assembly Architecture & Build, PLLC
Builder
Assembly Architecture & Build, PLLC
Photographer
Thom Gaines

From Assembly Architecture & Build, PLLC

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville NC with distant north views of Mt Spivey and a narrow sloping lot, this wedge-shaped home is a response to site. We took into careful consideration a variety of site-specific inputs including views, sun orientation, prevailing winds, privacy, and natural cooling/heating techniques among others. The result is a functional, energy efficient home with a distinctive exterior shape and warm light filled interior spaces.

The home’s dominant shed roof maximizes solar orientation for photovoltaic panels while also allowing for a double-height central atrium to flood the core of the house with natural light and exhaust hot air on hot summer days. The introduction of natural light into the core of the house reduces the need for artificial lighting on cloudy days, while the chimney effect created by opening large operable skylights at the top of the atrium reduces HVAC loads by bringing cool air up from the basement.

This central atrium is an example of how a design feature can multitask --it brings natural light deep into the core of the house, it cools the house using the chimney effect, and it provides a place to grow plants which filter interior air. It also allowed us to minimize the street facing windows for privacy while still maintaining a light filled interior.

Anchoring the bottom of the atrium are four large arched openings and a Spanish terracotta tile floor. The tile floor is a durable surface good for watering plants and for heavy foot traffic. A keyhole opening marks the boundary between private and public sides of the house while two of the arched openings frame an intimate eating nook and entry foyer with walls covered in locally milled southern yellow pine. The last arch has steps spilling out into a sunken living room and kitchen area with access to a back deck.

Locally milled cypress, a naturally rot resistant wood, covers the exterior and anchors the strong geometry of the house to the site.

In the end, our desire for functionality created something more than just an energy efficient home. The interior took on an unexpected bohemian feel; one that originated from a desire for light and functionality, but resulted in warm soft interior spaces that were comfortable and welcoming.