“The house is so beautiful; we think of it as the art.”- described by the owners of the Mohican Hill House.
The Mohican Hill house is a project designed by Ar. Robert M. Gurney (A DC architect known for his meticulous contemporary designs). The house sits atop Mohican Hills, a small community in Glen Echo, Maryland close to Washington DC. Sited on land which is surrounded by a grove and mature trees, the Mohican hill house takes its inspiration from the surrounding contemporary and mid-century modern houses.
The natural topography in this location is steep and sloping with views of the Potomac River. The house is thus positioned to minimize site disturbances and maximizes appealing views.
The house is designed in a linear composition and along the ridge of the site. The designers made sure to retain as much flat space on the site as possible while preserving the majority of the trees. The use of local materials like wood and concrete make sure that the house looks like it’s nestled into its surrounding; making it a structure that is a part of nature rather than dominating it.
The interior of the house is an open floor plan integrating a high-ceilinged volume. A small foyer at the center of the house welcomes the guests into the structure. It showcases a wood and metal staircase leading to the floors above.
The house is visually divided into two wings, the east wing on the ground floor houses a two-car garage, bathroom, home office, and storage room. On the upper floor, it includes three bedrooms- each with an attached bathroom.
The west wing of the house showcases a double-height living area that connects the kitchen and dining area in an open plan. The upper floor has the master bedroom with an En-suite bathroom, a fireplace, and a private external terrace.
Apart from these spaces, the first floor includes a secondary lounge area that overlooks the living space on the floor below.
The living area has floor-to-ceiling windows that ensure a visual connection with the outdoors. The house features glazing on all sides overlooking the Potomac River and the surrounding forest. The placement of the windows is designed in a way to ensure natural light in the house during all times of the day.
The house opens into a generous level lawn bordered by a retaining wall that offers to serve as an outdoor dining area (which can also be used to develop a swimming pool in the future).
The interiors of the house are designed by Therese B Gurney in harmony with the architecture while considering user requirements. The house ensures the functional adaptability of some rooms. E.g., the office space on the ground floor can also be turned into a fifth bedroom (since it uses a murphy bed). The secondary lounge area on the first floor can also be used as a TV lounge or workspace. A space with built-in shelving is planned behind the kitchen and serves as a reading nook. It could also be used as a conversational sitting area or an entertainment space.
In terms of materials, the house uses two distinct types of claddings breaking the length of the structure visually on site. The two contrasting materials differentiate the two wings. The public spaces of the house are cladded in a wood siding while the private spaces are finished in Charcoal-gray panels. The wood used here is forest managed. It is treated wood and is non-toxic and durable.
Both blocks are connected visually by the centrally located, light-filled two-story foyer. It is clad with floor-to-ceiling windows allowing natural light and exteriors into the house.
The designers have used expanses of energy star glass to ensure the abundance of daylight while allowing views of the wooded landscape and the distant river. The use of solar-sensitive shades helps mediate the heat gain.
A dark concrete slab runs throughout the first floor providing passive solar energy. Since the concrete is stained dark, it increases the potential solar gain and storage. The slab helps restore solar gain during the day and releases heat at night. Since the house has maximum insulation, it prevents the warmth from escaping.
The house incorporates sustainability in all aspects ranging from the orientation of the building to the use of passive design strategies, along with strategic materials.
The designers have used energy-efficient appliances throughout the house. It encases High efficient HVAC systems along with wall and ceiling infrastructure with maximum insulation that helps trap the energy inside the house. The placement of large-operable windows ensures natural ventilation and direct access to the outdoors. The ventilated building envelope takes responsibility for reduced fossil fuel consumption. The wood used in the overall structure is thermally modified acting as an alternative to the exotic and expensive hardwood.
The designers encouraged planting trees like Beech, Dogwood, and River Birch to replace the trees cut down during the construction of the house. The designers focused on creating gardens layered with sand, soil, stones, and plantings that allow the land to absorb as much water as possible during storms rather than having the stormwater wash down the site and erode the hill.
A house described as “A free-flowing, minimalist home” by the ‘Home and design’ magazine; the Mohican hill house is designed discreetly to maintain an uncluttered look that allows the architecture as the center stage- says the architect.
References:
- MOHICAN HILLS. [online] Available at: <https://robertgurneyarchitect.com/album/mohican-hills.html> [Accessed 16 October 2022].
Dezeen. 2022. Mohican Hills House by Robert Gurney Architect overlooks the Potomac River. [online] Available at: <https://www.dezeen.com/2016/09/02/mohican-hills-house-robert-gurney-architect-overlooks-potomac-river-maryland/> [Accessed 16 October 2022].
Dietsch, D., 2022. Modern Art – Home & Design Magazine. [online] Home & Design Magazine. Available at: <https://www.homeanddesign.com/2017/10/23/modern-art/> [Accessed 16 October 2022].
- [online] Available at: <https://inhabitat.com/stunning-energy-smart-home-near-d-c-looks-like-a-super-swanky-tetris-ensemble/mohican-hills-house-by-robert-m-gurney-4/> [Accessed 16 October 2022].
ArchDaily. 2022. Mohican Hills House / Robert M. Gurney. [online] Available at: <https://www.archdaily.com/792203/mohican-hills-house-robert-m-gurney> [Accessed 16 October 2022].
