Kingsbury Residence in Needham, Massachusetts home design images, American residential property, MA architecture
Kingsbury Residence in Massachusetts
Feb 6, 2020
Design: SMOOK Architecture & Urban Design
Location: Needham, Massachusetts, USA
Photos by Benjamin Cheung
Kingsbury Residence
The Kingsbury Residence is a 2,800-square-foot design interrupts the status quo of the greater Boston neighborhood with a fresh perspective. Referencing traditional elements of the New England farmhouse from materiality, detailing, and additive massing. The design features modern detail such as asymmetrical fenestration, wide clapboard siding, and black windows. A welcoming place for extended family and friends to gather every Sunday, the residence celebrates the comforts of home living.
Nestled in a traditional New England neighborhood, the 2,800-square-foot home, and elongated garage play precedent through a modern lens with subtle nods to traditional architecture. The program calls for single floor living with guest suites upstairs, a space for extended family gatherings, and a creative solution for the owner’s growing automobile collection.
The property is located at a three-way intersection on a narrow half-acre parcel. To work within the limited property proportions, the plan is organized as four stretched forms to depict as if the home was built over time. Each form serves a specific function and illustrates its own architectural character with triple exposures of light and views. For example, the master’s wing extends into the rear property forming a private courtyard with the garage. To illustrate architectural character, the main “Big House” stair is accentuated by a blue-gray double-height bay window with fiber cement panels and decorative strapping.
The garage features a unique linear configuration that allows space for multiple cars with entrances at both front and rear Inspiration was derived from traditional architectural elements of New England covered bridges and reinforced by the owner’s nostalgia of her childhood farm.
Many new homes de-emphasize the dining room, but here this room is the design cornerstone. It is the focal point from the “neighborhood” façade detailed by the asymmetrically placed fenestration, wide clapboard siding, steep metal gable roof, a grounding stone plinth, and a contemporary front porch that extends from the “Big House” to greet visitors and passersby. As friends and family approach the front door, they are welcomed by the celebratory gathering space.
Energy Efficiency, Cool Details, Great Ideas, And More
Looking at the front facade, the stone plinth transitions from the landscape backdrop to the contemporary dining room. The low stone wall is a poetic reference to the historical New England laid stone walls once dividing the landscape. To achieve the ‘found artifact’ appearance, the foundation wall extends several feet beyond the building’s footprint. To complete the feature, local granite veneer was sourced from New Hampshire and cladded to the foundation shelf as well as the building’s wood framing.
The garage features a unique linear configuration with entrances at both front and rear. Permeable grass pavers were installed as an extension to the paved driveway providing access to the rear entrance while appearing discrete to the neighboring property.
A 13-foot stud wall height easily accommodates car lifts and allows additional parking space for up to six cars.
Inspiration for the garage form was derived from traditional architectural elements of New England covered bridges like the board and batten cladding and punched fenestration. To compliment with updated detailing, linear paneling and trim finish wrapping around the garage envelope acts like finishing ribbon on gift wrap.
Kingsbury Residence, Massachusetts – Building Information
Architect: Clay Benjamin Smook, SMOOK Architecture & Urban Design
Location: Needham, Massachusetts, USA
Number of Bedrooms: 3
Number of Bathrooms: 3.5
Size: 2,800 SF
Year Completed: 2016
Builder: Robert W. Curatola, Rockwood Colonials
Construction Cost: $325.00/SF
Photography: Benjamin Cheung
Kingsbury Residence in Needham, Massachusetts image / information received 060220 from SMOOK Architecture & Urban Design USA
Location: Needham, Massachusetts, United States of America
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