Forest House 2 - Off the Grid
Our daily lives are often busy and stressful, and we can find ourselves needing some sort of reprieve. One of the best ways to decompress is to get away for a bit; perhaps to somewhere quiet and surrounded by nature.
Two New York City doctors with a young child approached us with that exact goal in mind; and more. Forest House 2 (Off the Grid) provides a serene escape from bustling city life while leaving its surroundings to be appreciated, rather than disturbed. This modest 2,000sf L-shaped cabin retreat sports a neutral, earthy palette inside and out - trim for the windows and walls will be milled from the trees cut down on site, bringing the outside in. High-performance windows bring ample natural light into the double-height living space and cozy kitchen, while triple-pane skylights illuminate the yoga loft above. A well-lit office and pre-fabricated greenhouse make this a truly self-sufficient withdrawal from the hustle of the city. A large south-facing deck rests just below the roof overhangs’ rhythm of steadfast timber support brackets. Looking through the living room to the North, one finds a shady patio, hugged on all sides by the house, outdoor shower, and the wood-fired cedar hot tub.
This house will be off-the grid. Strategies to reduce energy needs include large overhangs control sun exposure, while also allowing for a large PV solar array to provide for the entirety of the house’s energy budget. Air-source heat pumps control the cabin’s climate and hot water needs. Super-insulated Passive House standard walls, roofs, and slabs mean the cabin will have low-to-negligible embodied and operational carbon, respectively.
At Forest House 2 (Off the Grid), both its inhabitants and the Earth get some much-needed R&R.
