Pugh+ Scarpa Dwell House Entry - Blueprint for the Perfect Family Home

For my inaugural post, I wanted to share someting I found on the website of Pugh + Scarpa Architecture. In the description of their entry to the Dwell Home II contest they eloquently outline a fantastic blueprint for the modern American family home:

"For Lawrence Scarpa, lead designer on the project, Dwell House II’s modest budget and difficult lot symbiotically combine to create something entirely fresh and unexpected, a house that almost appears programmed by the site itself. The starting point for the design were its site and budget. While Glen and Claudia desired a 2500 square foot home, Scarpa felt this would prove difficult given the project’s limited budget, and chose instead to create a smaller, appropriately programmed 1800 SF structure, with a strong connection to the outdoors. Beginning with a large public/living area that occupies over 65% of the home’s square footage-unusually large for a home of this size-Scarpa was able to maintain a strong quality of spaciousness and flow in the house, by siting the structure to take direct advantage of the panoramic views to the north, and incorporating a living porch that, when opened, expands the public area of the house by nearly 50%. With so much square footage devoted to living area, however, less remains for the private space of the dwelling. Turning the conventional ratio of public to private space on its head, this becomes a further asset of the house, and something entirely unique: sleeping and bathing areas treated as small, nest-like spaces that give one the impression of sleeping among the stars. The three small bedrooms remain pleasant through their tall ceilings and contact with nature, but are only used for sleeping, saving precious extra footage for larger more spacious public areas. An adaptable playroom/office/den area is positioned as a transitional family space, in a zone between the public and private areas of the house. Implied throughout these choices is an underlying theme that because comfort and retreat will be found through a connection with the environment and an entirely new concept for proportioning space, the large private spaces of conventional thinking become unnecessary, even undesirable."

Pugh + Scarpa really nailed it. It just doesn't get much better than that. Not only do I love the home's forward aesthetic, I love its concept. The consideration of the site. The balance between public and private spaces. The treatment of bedrooms. The incorporation of a multi-use transitional space and large outdoor rooms. As I ponder a new home for my modern family, I always go back to this short piece. It's a wonderful guidepost.

Image credit: Pugh + Scarpa