Terrapin
Vermont
Architect | Birdseye |
|---|---|
Builder | Birdseye |
Woodwork | Birdseye |
Sitework | Birdseye |
Interior Design | Brooke Michelsen Design |
Landscape | Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture |
Photography | Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture |
Completed | 2022 |
Site Strategy
Sited on a natural rock band that marks the edge of two ecosystems, the home is positioned to float above the terrain while embedding into the landscape.
Architectural Gesture
Concrete pillars elevate and support the home’s stacked forms, allowing it to hover lightly over the land while capturing expansive views.
Located in Vermont, Terrapin is a single-family residence designed for a large extended family.
The structure rests on concrete pilotis, lifting it above the ground plane and emphasizing a sense of lightness and clarity. The massing is intentionally stacked to echo the geologic strata of the land while creating framed moments of view and shadow. A singular exterior material—black-stained, knotty cedar—edits the architecture down to essential form and silhouette, allowing it to visually recede into the landscape.
Inside, the home continues its interplay with the environment. Materials from the exterior carry through uninterrupted, blurring the boundary between inside and out. Vertical planes of glass intersect wood ceilings, and walls transition seamlessly between environments. This continuity amplifies the immersive living experience and aligns the architecture with its surrounding ecology.
