Dove Lake Residence, Gladwyne, PA

This timber frame home features a German style bank barn that was dismantled and relocated from rural Chester County, two connecting wings of conventional construction and the adaptive reuse of the existing 18th century stone barn. We stepped the floor level of each section of the house to maximize the dynamic topography of the site and weave together indoor and outdoor living spaces that root the home to its beautiful landscape. The building massing is arranged to optimize natural daylighting and views to a nearby millpond, as well as shield the interiors from overheating on the western exposure.

Throughout the home, we inventingly transformed traditional spaces and building elements to give them new meaning and vitality. Our selection of recycled materials, simultaneously reduced the consumption of new resources and embodied energy to create a timeless atmosphere. Radiant heating is used throughout the house, allowing an efficient and comfortable method of delivering heat within the large open volumes of the timber frames. Air conditioning and other mechanical systems are invisibly woven into these exposed structures.