SLATE HOUSE
Location Philadeelphia, PA
Proposed Size 0000 sf
Renderings C2
Builder TBD
Engineer TBD
Interiors TBD
Following the arcing line of the Wissahickon watershed, multiple volumes comprise a slate-clad focal point in the wooded surroundings.
When charged with designing a new home alongside Wissahickon Park, C2 arranged a series of volumes along the arcing path of the watershed. These site constraints dictated how the house could be broken into stepped segments that balance slope and water retention with public and private spaces. The arrangement of most living areas on one level will enable the owners to age in place.
Clad in monochromatic black slate tile set against the changing foliage of the Wissahickon, the house sits at the beginning of a cul-de-sac. Traditional gabled forms define a primary, two-story volume to the west, which contains public living spaces, and a smaller volume to the east that contains an office and the primary suite.
A single-story, flat-roofed circulation spine nestles between the two volumes and extends toward the front yard to define the main entry. Floor-to-ceiling glazing seamlessly connects the home and its landscape, culminating in an expansive rear view of the Wissahickon woods. Proceeding along this circulation gallery, rooms branch out, allowing themselves to open or close depending on the level of privacy required.
Adjacent to a double-height living and dining room, the kitchen is tucked beneath a second-floor loft. A continuous bank of millwork connects the public spaces while offering specific functionality in each.
