Woodlands House
West Bend

The Woodlands House is an infill project placed on a private wooded lot within walking or biking distance of downtown.  The property was carefully selected for its unusually large size, mature trees, and high degree of privacy.  The new home occupies the footprint of a 1960’s house that had decayed to the point of needing to be replaced.  Roof overhangs and patios were carefully laid out to protect the existing trees on the property.  The home’s overall style and proportioning are a nod to the mid-century era development of the adjacent homes in the neighborhood.

The building’s form is conceived as a simple wedge with a south-facing mono-slope standing-seam metal roof, allowing optimal solar access for P.V. panels and simple rain run-off collection.  The home is net zero; the 20kW photovoltaic array on the roof powers all heating, cooling, and appliances in the home, with enough electricity left over annually to also power an electric car and and electric motorcycle.  A 9kW back-up battery provides electrical storage for outages.  A 1,000 gallon underground water collection cistern filters and collects all roof runoff and uses it to irrigate the property.

Building materials were selected to create a rugged, refined, timeless feel.  Hand-troweled cement plaster offers a smooth, tactile texture while the wide-plank 2-by Doug Fir rain screen siding gives the home a rugged, durable, northwest feel and color appropriate to the wooded site.  Exposed, radiant heated concrete floors add to the durable, easy livability of the home and heats the structure comfortably and efficiently through the use of an electric heat pump water heater.  Mini-splits provide cooling and air filtering in the summer and during wildfire smoke season.  An ERV also helps provide clean, filtered air for the home’s interior

The structure is laid out to maximize day lighting, privacy, and views of the surrounding forest, while using the tree shade to protect the west patios from hot summer sun.  The build was completed in 2020.  The two bedroom layout with two home offices allowed the occupants to shelter in place and work from home in comfort and in style throughout the pandemic.  Now,  post-pandemic, the home’s many gathering spaces and outdoor living areas are beginning to enjoy the voices and laughter of friends and family.

Project Credits