Pub. 1 2018 Directory

42 NORTHERN NEVADA ARCHITECTECTURE .18 | 2018 | www.aiann.org W ith a relatively simple program, the challenge was the site: a difficult 2.3 acre, L-shaped suburban parcel. The site was loaded with large Junipers and comprised a south-facing slope with great views of the Sierra Nevada foothills. Due to the steep topography, the residence needed to parallel the contours which created an opportunity to bury the large, tandem four-car garage so that it would not be visible from the street. This allowed for the back of the residence to open to the southern exposure and the mountain views. A concrete retaining wall was used to organize the zoning and anchor the residence to the site. The plan was developed to allow for a clear and simple zoning of spaces: a master suite, a second level children’s area with two suites and a play room, a detached motherin-law suite, a four-car garage, and a common, open living, dining, kitchen space. County planning allowed for a detached workshop. The workshop was sited to be out of view from the owners, but also on the same pad elevation as the buried garage so the two could share a driveway to minimize destruction of the site. The siting of the spaces allowed for passive solar and great mountain views while maximizing privacy frothe street and the adjacent neighbors. The visitor parking is uphill of the residence. This provides for a descending entry into the exterior living room space. The exterior living space is accessible to the interior living and dining area via a large pocketing sliding door that expands the spaces for entertaining and family dinners. The master suite is a counterpoint to the rest of the house, is anchored to the site, and cantilevers over the high desert landscape. The house and driveway wrap around the existing Junipers. The house feels integrated to the site, and with several operable glass walls the owners are intimate with the natural surroundings and the views of the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills. The bermed residence has very little exposure to the cold northern aspect of the site. There is almost no glazing on the eastern expo­ sure and the harsh western exposure. Instead, the home opens up to the south with almost all of its glazing for maximum passive solar gain in the winter, and large overhangs and steel fins for solar protection during the summer. The residence is prepped for (3) 4’ x 1 O’ hot water solar panels to supplement the passive solar gain in the winter. This will provide all of the domestic hot water needs as well as supplement the efficient in-floor radiant heating. The concrete slab on the main floor acts as a heat sink for the passive solar gain in the winter. The home has a well-insulated envelope with R-36 continuous rigid roof insulation, R-24 wall insulation, and thermally broken commercial glazing system with a high U value of .32. The steel is 70% recycled material, the paint and stains are low V.O.C., and the western red cedar is FSC rated. The home is kept cool in summer by natural cross ventilation and ceiling fans, as well as a conventional forced air system for only those extreme hot weeks in the summer. All of the lighting is LED and the home is prepped to accept solar voltaic panels on the low-sloped area of the roof in the near future. The roof area over the garage is prepped to accept a green roof of lavender when funds become available. b Rasmus Residence - Jack Hawkins Architecture PROJECT FEATURE