A Contemporary Octagon Residence Surrounded by Nature.

The northern side of the Piedmont region of Virginia has become a desired spot for a second home. It has also been chosen by many retirees who spent most of their working lives in metropolitan areas. In the Blue Ridge Mountains, surrounded by Shenandoah National Park with its rolling hills sits a contemporary octagon residence.

This unique rural home of nearly 4,000 sq. ft. sits on 1.4 acres in the beautiful countryside of Madison County, Virginia. Surrounded by forest, mountain slopes, near rivers alive with trout, and woodland animals such as wild turkeys, blue birds, bald eagles and black bear among others.

The clients had in mind several desired characteristics for their new home: an octagon shape and custom glulam beams and arches that would allow for an openness, but given the context and after assessing the clients’ needs, we saw the opportunity to take this residence to the next level which would also address energy efficiency and environmental responsibility/sustainability.

The existing conditions of the topography fit well with the design program and we wanted the new home to connect with the landscape. We also wanted our client to experience the surrounding landscape and wildlife from different perspectives, so at early stages of the design process we had sketched two balconies on opposite sides of the structure, pocket gardens, and a space at the very top of the residence that would allow our clients to explore the surroundings beyond.

The result of an exciting design process is a multi-story octagon shaped residence with a clerestory at the top which sets the stage for 360-degree views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Before entering to the large open space of the residence, the first space is a small-low ceiling vestibule inspired by the principle of “compression and release.” The foyer of this contemporary home introduces the double height ceiling and the spiral staircase at the level above leading to the clerestory bounded by four heavy timber columns located at the center of the octagon. The clerestory is a perfect spot for viewing, meditation, reading or studying.

The main character of the interior of the residence is the exposed custom glulam structure. The different sizes of the exposed glulam posts and tudor arches of the connecting spaces mimic the slim-profile trees of the surrounding forest. The openings at all four levels bring a great level of porosity connecting to the outdoors. The lowest level has an art studio, workshop, full bathroom and mechanical room. Any of these spaces can be accessed from the outside as well as upstairs. During the design process our client emphasized that the main level should be wheelchair accessible to ensure aging in place. That said, we thought it was appropriate to locate the master suite on the main level featuring a cantilevered wooden balcony. Also on the main level you will find the kitchen, dining area, powder room, laundry room, and the living area featuring the largest wooden balcony. The balconies face the mountainside for wildlife viewing.

The upper level has a bedroom, full bathroom, and an office space that can be used as a second bedroom. You will also find an open space overlooking the foyer and the access to the clerestory.
The garden areas include a registered butterfly garden. The main structure is custom glulam (Unilam®) and the exterior walls and roof are structural insulated R-30/R-50 panels (SIPs) (Thermocore®), and the walls at the lowest level are a precast concrete foundation system called Superior Walls®. The greatest challenge during construction was integrating the glulam structure with the structural insulated panels and the precast foundation system. Bringing the large glulam structural members to the site was a true challenge caused by the narrow winding hill roads.

We designed with sustainability in mind. That said, the bedrooms and common spaces of this 4-level home receive daylighting because of the southern exposure gaining passive solar efficiency. Built with energy efficiency and low maintenance in mind, it was designed to accomplish greater utility savings.

Considering our client’s request for low maintenance, we chose to clad the exterior eight walls with metal siding from the main level to the level above, leaving the smooth dam-proof concrete finish of the foundation system exposed to help blend with the surroundings.

This residence is currently listed for sale.

Photography: Josh Benz

Project design: DesArchi Studio | Lead Designer: Gerardo Hernandez Trias