Text description provided by the architects. Perched on a visible hilltop overlooking the Potomac River and clad in natural materials, Poplar Cloud is a public-facing ode to healthy houses fitting harmoniously into their surroundings. Poplar Cloud sits beneath massive tulip poplar trees, with views to the historic Abner Cloud House along the edge of the Potomac.
With National Park Service land on two sides of the property, the roots of the big tulip poplars had to remain undisturbed. The frame of an existing 1930’s bungalow was demolished but the foundation left intact and reinforced from the inside, preserving the adjacent ground and protecting the roots.
Clad in horizontal bands of tulip poplar bark shingles, charred cork panels, cypress wood boards, and copper flashing, the house is literally dressed in its landscape, and the durable materials will patina as they age.
A central multistory stair connects the house’s interior spaces, and outdoor porches, balconies, and terraces make the most of panoramic river views while creating privacy from neighbors.
