Loudon County, VA
Completed in 2000, Frog Pond is a 3,700 square foot house that is within the National Landmark in Waterford, Virginia. Designed to nest in a site overlooking a small pond, the Clients wanted a “modern house built of traditional pieces”. The House is built into a gentle hill sheltered from the prevailing winter winds by the topography with a window wall opening up to the pond to the south west. Vertical architectural pilaster exterior shading devises are integrated into the window wall, bouncing ambient light into the central living area while shielding the interior from the harshest summer rays and thereby the summer solar gain. The structure of the house is super-insulated and equipped with high efficiency HVAC equipment. The center of the house is the open living area, the centerpiece of which is an oversized terracotta hearth and fireplace built by local craftsmen using regional clay. Terracotta tile with bass relief of plants and animals found on the site were created by the craftsmen and integrated throughout the house. The basement studio space opens on to a sheltered, yet sunny, outside living area that is usable much of the year. The design of the house was approved by the board of the Waterford Foundation and has been part of the Virginia State Garden Tour.
