LAKE HOUSE lake wateree, sc

IN PROGRESS

When I was in middle school my parents bought a lot on a nearby lake, it was an odd shape with eroding edges, completely forested by pine trees which sheltered a 1950’s militarily trailer (with two rooms added on to the front, and a gable roof to cover it all.) My dad and grandpa mended the eroding bank by hand, and provided safe the access to the water. They fixed the plumbing and my mom did what she could to make the inside functional. They invested in the outside experience, creating a shaded space for seating a gathering, planning all along to remove the existing house. Now many years later, and many children put through college, they are ready to build their lake house.

While at the lake we spend most of our time outside, usually surrounded by people. My parents love to host and gather their friends and community around them. This house is meant to be an extension of them, an apparatus that is as welcoming and pragmatic as they are, one that is flexible and allows them to use it as they see fit. Whether they are hosting 30 people or its just the grandkids the house embraces all.

concept 1

Concept 1 channels the breeze through openings in its glassy front and flushes it through vents in its massive stone back. The sun is harnessed by the reversed pitch in the center of the house which allows for the optimal placement of solar panels or solar water heating, while also opening up the view for the entry and loft. A large porch stretching from the front provides a flexible outdoor extension to the living and dining spaces. The side porch grants the same condition to the kitchen, creating a flexible indoor-outdoor food preparation area.

concept 2

Inspired by local barn vernacular (including the ones I grew up playing in) this concept is intended to be easy to build and straightforward in form. The clerestory windows, enabled by the monitor barn shape, allow for excellent natural ventilation. A loft comes naturally in a barn, adding a casework stair and screen connects it to the ground and adds storage to the kitchen. Thick casework storage also separates the living spaces from the sleeping spaces, providing ample sound reduction. Heated concrete allows for the major open spaces to function without traditional air-conditioning while the bedrooms are more tightly climate controlled.