RESIDENTIAL - NEW CONSTRUCTION - Grandfather Mountain, NC

The owners requested a new, accessible master suite addition that would be separate from the main house but maintain a sense of connection.  After the site and trees were surveyed,the new master suite “pod” was carefully sited away from the existing house, weaving it between the trees, lifting it up from the ground on stilts, and connecting it to the existing house by a bridge, disturbing the land as little as possible.  One rhododendron was the only vegetation that had to be removed.  The bridge and the existing exterior stairs tie together--becoming “hallways” between the buildings--and in the middle is an outdoor parlor that welcomes guests.  The handrails/guardrails are made with Tigerwood and have powder-coated steel mesh inserts. The 1,000-sf pod contains a living room, master bedroom and bath, kitchenette, and powder room.  The use of natural light was integral to the design: Windows were strategically placed to maximize the sunlight as is filters through the trees, and the bathroom tower pops up through the roof to catch the morning sunlight.  Tall window walls bring the outdoors in and give a sense of being in the trees.  A cantilevered deck floats above the sea of rhododendrons that lie fifteen feet below.  To coexist with the existing house, the pod borrowed elements from that structure – steep roof lines lined with split cedar shakes, shiplap siding, and locally harvested stone.  The new pod provides an accessible treehouse-like retreat for the homeowners while maintaining interconnectivity with the original house. With the new “pod” now accessible, the owners decided to do the same with original house without altering its character.  An external elevator tower was added, with a new foyer surrounded by large windows at each floor stop, creating a somewhat transparent appendage to the original structure.