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Architects: SEEK Design + Architecture
- Area: 2700 ft²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Angie McMonigal
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Manufacturers: RHEINZINK, A Fine Line, Dekko Concrete, Henrybuilt, Nakamoto Forestry North America, Reynaers, Waterworks, Workstead, reSAWN TIMBER co.
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Lead Architects: Jason Nuttelman
Text description provided by the architects. On a 5-acre farmstead in rural Indiana lies an unassuming three-gable shed structure, nestled among the surrounding trees and a field of wildflowers. As a complement to the main complex, which consists of a main house, pool house, barn, and garden, this new 2,700-square-foot structure serves as a guest house, providing a private and serene experience for visiting family and friends. When unoccupied by guests, it is used as a wellness and entertainment retreat for the property owners. It features two guest bedrooms with a shared bath and soaking tub, a fitness room, a living room with a wood-burning stove, a coffee bar, an entertainment room with a pool table, and a multipurpose garage.
The house is composed of three elemental shed volumes: the bedroom wing, the wellness wing, and the multipurpose wing. Each is a simple gabled form, a gesture that responds to the local shed vernacular. The volumes are separated by glass passageways that serve not only as connectors but also as transitional spaces between the outdoors and indoors. Separated by function, the wings maintain their pure forms and express their individuality.
The gabled volumes were constructed using moment frames, enabling the creation of expansive, open interiors. This structural approach also allowed for large windows at the ends of the gables, enhancing the building's connection to its natural context. These windows, ordered for fabrication six months in advance, posed a unique construction challenge — they had to fit perfectly within the structural openings. Achieving this required precise detailing and meticulous construction administration to ensure flawless integration.
Within the gabled volumes, solid forms are carefully nested to house the private functions of the house — bedrooms and bathrooms. The resulting negative space between the nested solid and the outer shell frames views of the landscape and draws in natural light. The warm, natural material palette complements these framed views, offering comfort and protection to visitors while simultaneously immersing them in nature. On the site, the three-object composition is oriented to control daylight and maximize visual connections to the surroundings. Clad in shou sugi ban wood, the dark, textured house sits in harmony with the lush greenery. It recedes into the landscape, deepening the sense of seclusion and tranquility.
