design et al are delighted to announce that Patrick Ahearn Architect LLC have been shortlisted for Overall Development Global in The International Design and Architecture Awards 2016
Grand Country House is historically motivated to evoke a sense of belonging and romance however it’s adapted to the way families live today. The past is echoed through the use of the rusticated swirl rough sawn siding and New England Field Stone as primary exterior materials. The tall stone chimneys flanking the main façade reinforce and celebrate the symmetrical and timeless nature of the design.
The clients desired a rather large programme within an intimately scaled home evoking a cottage vernacular. This was an obvious challenge however, the project was successful due to the ‘H’ shape footprint because it never exposes one to the overall square footage, resulting in a wonderful cottage family homestead. Another delightful feature of the ‘H’ shape is the creation of both an entry arrival court, which sets the formal tone for the house to unfold, and a rear outdoor courtyard, which encompasses a wonderful blue stone terrace with a formal planting area.
The flanking wings step back on themselves to further develop a sense of enclosure and the gambrel form allows for a meaningful second floor space while maintaining a relatively low cottage scale height of 26’. As a finishing detail, the planted window boxes were designed to reinforce the charming Hansel and Gretel character to the home, again to detract from the potential overall massing. 