After an exhaustive search of available housing inventory and unsatisfied with configurations found in numerous house-plan books, KBAS was approached to design a dream house for a progressive couple who had recently purchased a majestic piece of property in rural Maryland. With 5 acres of rolling meadow backed by a state forest to work with, KBAS engaged in an extensive feasibility study which established volumetric and spatial signatures optimizing views of and multiple proximities to the beautiful natural context. Outdoor “rooms” blur the thresholds between inside and outside and orient the owners towards intimate pockets of natural wonderment or towards expansive views of rural countryside. Natural light is controlled by exterior louvers while sliding glass walls off the kitchen/dining area, lounge and office mezzanine and main bedroom suite open up to distinctive relationships with the outdoors. This combination allows for adjustable natural ventilation and passive comfort control throughout the year. Clad in zinc and reclaimed cedar, the MD House sits quietly amidst the sounds of the rustling forest and flocks of birds.
