Modern Architecture
Outbuildings
New Backyard Studio for a Home in an Iconic Modern Neighborhood
An architect designs an accessory building and a carport that honor the house and nestle into a sloped and wooded site
While cross-country skiing in the 1940s, a group of idealistic young architects working with modernist Walter Gropius at The Architects Collaborative (TAC) came across a hilly, rocky undeveloped piece of land. Once a farm, the Lexington, Massachusetts, property had a barn with six cars made by Moon Motor Car Co. inside. The idea for a different kind of neighborhood named after those cars, Six Moon Hill, evolved from there.
From 1947 to 1953, the architects built 28 homes on the hilly site, using modernist principles of simplicity and affordability and incorporating utopian ideas like paths between and through the properties for everyone in the community to enjoy. “All of them except Gropius designed homes for themselves to live in here. They were able to use this development as an experiment,” architect Colin Flavin says.
This home at Six Moon Hill was designed by Sarah Pillsbury Harkness, a founding partner of TAC, and built in 1949. The current homeowners, a couple with three daughters, wanted to create a studio for artistic expression, gathering and enjoying views of the surrounding forest and garden. They also wanted a carport. Flavin designed the two structures to echo the architecture of the main house and fit the sloped, rocky site.
From 1947 to 1953, the architects built 28 homes on the hilly site, using modernist principles of simplicity and affordability and incorporating utopian ideas like paths between and through the properties for everyone in the community to enjoy. “All of them except Gropius designed homes for themselves to live in here. They were able to use this development as an experiment,” architect Colin Flavin says.
This home at Six Moon Hill was designed by Sarah Pillsbury Harkness, a founding partner of TAC, and built in 1949. The current homeowners, a couple with three daughters, wanted to create a studio for artistic expression, gathering and enjoying views of the surrounding forest and garden. They also wanted a carport. Flavin designed the two structures to echo the architecture of the main house and fit the sloped, rocky site.
Flavin used hand-drawn renderings to present his ideas. The drawings above show his proposal in section (top) and in plan (bottom). He worked on the schematic design, while his colleague Heather Souza served as the project architect. She was involved in all the phases, from drafting the drawings to ensuring the building was built according to the original design intent.
The section drawing illustrates how the structures would work with the natural topography of the steeply sloped yard. The buildings and the walkway that connects them cascade down the hillside into the yard in an unobtrusive way.
(Scroll to the bottom to see a site plan and how the studio and carport relate to the main house.)
The section drawing illustrates how the structures would work with the natural topography of the steeply sloped yard. The buildings and the walkway that connects them cascade down the hillside into the yard in an unobtrusive way.
(Scroll to the bottom to see a site plan and how the studio and carport relate to the main house.)
Here’s the view from the street and carport down toward the studio. The carport is a steel beam structure. “We wanted to pick up on the palette of the main house,” Flavin says. Elements like vertical board siding, flat roofs, white trim and copper flashing (seen here around the roofline) echo the architectural style and exterior materials of the main house.
One good thing about a rocky site is finding lovely boulders and large rocks on it. The architects used them throughout the project. The rugged rocks provide contrast to the crisp, modern lines of the architecture.
Find a landscape designer near you
One good thing about a rocky site is finding lovely boulders and large rocks on it. The architects used them throughout the project. The rugged rocks provide contrast to the crisp, modern lines of the architecture.
Find a landscape designer near you
Flavin created a small courtyard between the carport and studio, seen on the right side of this drawing by the architect. The lower portion of the carport provides extra storage.
They used cinder blocks and glass block windows on the carport, materials commonly seen in modern architecture. “The main house did not have any glass block on it, but our clients loved it,” Flavin says. He repeated the copper flashing along the roofline of the studio.
The walkway creates a pleasing transition between the buildings and the garden. The walkway is bluestone and the stairs are monolithic bluestone treads. In some places, the team carved into the walkway to match the profiles of the boulders. The natural stone materials tie into the landscape, while the straight lines of the pavers tie into the architecture.
See Walter Gropius’ own home nearby in Lincoln, Massachusetts
The walkway creates a pleasing transition between the buildings and the garden. The walkway is bluestone and the stairs are monolithic bluestone treads. In some places, the team carved into the walkway to match the profiles of the boulders. The natural stone materials tie into the landscape, while the straight lines of the pavers tie into the architecture.
See Walter Gropius’ own home nearby in Lincoln, Massachusetts
The studio’s minimalist interior also follows the hillside, with steps that divide a bathroom and this built-in desk area from the main studio space below. Flavin repeated the exterior siding’s verticality inside, with slats wrapping the office area to create a clean-lined, uncluttered look.
“My clients’ youngest daughter is a dancer, so they wanted a space with a lot of height for her to use for dance practice,” Flavin says. The wife paints watercolors, so creating studio space for her was also part of the design.
“My clients’ youngest daughter is a dancer, so they wanted a space with a lot of height for her to use for dance practice,” Flavin says. The wife paints watercolors, so creating studio space for her was also part of the design.
This expansive view out to the woods drove the site planning and orientation of the building. The overhang and vertical board screening, seen here beyond the windows on the exterior, create a framed view into the trees.
“The idea behind the overhang and screening was that they function almost like a visor off the back of the house. They force the eye into the immersive view of the forest,” Flavin says. “We really wanted the building to open to nature, rather than being a glass box looking back at the back of the house. The site drops off sharply off the back of the building, so it makes you feel like you are up in the trees.”
The red cedar on the overhang’s ceiling, seen through the windows, adds warmth. It also creates a connection to the studio’s white oak flooring.
Browse living room furniture in the Houzz Shop
“The idea behind the overhang and screening was that they function almost like a visor off the back of the house. They force the eye into the immersive view of the forest,” Flavin says. “We really wanted the building to open to nature, rather than being a glass box looking back at the back of the house. The site drops off sharply off the back of the building, so it makes you feel like you are up in the trees.”
The red cedar on the overhang’s ceiling, seen through the windows, adds warmth. It also creates a connection to the studio’s white oak flooring.
Browse living room furniture in the Houzz Shop
Here’s a look at the overhang and vertical screening from the exterior. Flavin repeated the cinder blocks on the base of the studio and beneath the deck on the right. He also repeated the copper flashing around the edge of the deck.
In addition to being drawn to the idea of a separate building for the studio, the homeowners wanted to avoid impacting the main home’s original architecture with an addition. “An addition of this size would have changed the character of the house,” Flavin says. (The main house can be seen on the right side of this photo.)
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
In addition to being drawn to the idea of a separate building for the studio, the homeowners wanted to avoid impacting the main home’s original architecture with an addition. “An addition of this size would have changed the character of the house,” Flavin says. (The main house can be seen on the right side of this photo.)
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
Floor-to-ceiling cabinets add storage without interrupting the walls. A TV and other media equipment are tucked away behind the cabinet doors.
“The cabinetry creates a nice niche for the wood stove,” Flavin says. The opening behind it frames another view into the forest.
Shop for a wood stove
Shop for a wood stove
A clerestory window in the bathroom lets in natural light while maintaining privacy. The lighted mirror helps keep a minimalist sensibility.
The bathroom’s tiling repeats the modern grid pattern seen on the exterior’s cinder and glass blocks. The tile is from iconic California company Heath Ceramics. The company was founded in 1948, one year before the main house was built.
The bathroom’s tiling repeats the modern grid pattern seen on the exterior’s cinder and glass blocks. The tile is from iconic California company Heath Ceramics. The company was founded in 1948, one year before the main house was built.
The walkway from street level to the studio terminates in something else on the homeowners’ wish list: a hot tub. At this level, the walkway transitions from bluestone to decking.
This is a 5-by-5-foot stainless steel spa. “One of our clients also did a really good job of researching and found this hot tub. All the workings are hidden beneath the deck,” Flavin says.
This is a 5-by-5-foot stainless steel spa. “One of our clients also did a really good job of researching and found this hot tub. All the workings are hidden beneath the deck,” Flavin says.
“I wanted the hot tub to be the terminus of the walkway. It feels like an infinity edge as you walk down,” Flavin says. He placed it a few more steps down the walkway, maintaining the stepped cadence of the path. A boulder makes the transition to the hot tub level even more engaging and marks the spot where the built landscape is about to give way to the natural one.
Here’s a look back up the walkway from the hot tub.
Looking to the left side of the building, the screening beneath the overhang gives the studio the appearance of floating over the edge of the forest. The hot tub deck lends a similar effect.
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
The yard is shady and required careful plant selection. “We worked with landscape designer Jonathan Keep, who designed the gardens, and he was fantastic,” Flavin says. “One of the things that was very important to the homeowners was maintaining the original neighborhood path so that kids could continue to cut through the yard.” That gravel path, seen here on the right, is lined with rocks from the site and low landscape lights.
“The homeowners wanted the new building to beckon them to come over from the house,” Flavin says. “It glows like a lantern at night.” He also deliberately spaced the gaps between the boards that surround the carport to let the light through at night.
“The homeowners wanted the new building to beckon them to come over from the house,” Flavin says. “It glows like a lantern at night.” He also deliberately spaced the gaps between the boards that surround the carport to let the light through at night.
The view of the studio from the main house was an important factor in the site planning, in addition to the topography, the orientation toward the forest and the placement of the carport.
The architects angled the studio to make it a draw from the house, as seen in this photo taken from inside the home looking toward the studio. “We all liked the idea that seeing the wood stove from here would beckon the family out to use the space,” Flavin says.
The architects angled the studio to make it a draw from the house, as seen in this photo taken from inside the home looking toward the studio. “We all liked the idea that seeing the wood stove from here would beckon the family out to use the space,” Flavin says.
Site plan: On the right side, from bottom to top, there’s the carport, courtyard, studio and hot tub. To the left is the hillside garden and the neighborhood path that cuts through it. A few walls of the main house can be seen on the left.
Flavin kept the original spirit of The Architects Collaborative alive. His and the homeowners’ deep respect for the firm’s work and ideals is embodied in the new structures and the garden.
Structural engineering: Webb Structural Services
Surveyor: Everett M. Brooks
More on Houzz
Read more stories about outbuildings
Find local remodeling pros
Shop for your outdoor spaces
Flavin kept the original spirit of The Architects Collaborative alive. His and the homeowners’ deep respect for the firm’s work and ideals is embodied in the new structures and the garden.
Structural engineering: Webb Structural Services
Surveyor: Everett M. Brooks
More on Houzz
Read more stories about outbuildings
Find local remodeling pros
Shop for your outdoor spaces
Sponsored
Award Winning, Family Owned Bathroom & Kitchen Remodeling Company
Studio at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of five
Location: Lexington, Massachusetts
Size: 709 square feet (66 square meters)
Designers: Colin Flavin and Heather Souza of Flavin Architects (architecture) and
Jonathan Keep (landscaping)
Contractor: P.M. Gallagher Builders
The site was challenging, as the backyard slopes dramatically between the street and the woods. “The rocks and the hills were probably the reason this site was undeveloped when the architects first came upon it,” Flavin says.
Flavin wanted to work with the existing topography, in keeping with the spirit of the development’s original site planning. An additional challenge was that the homeowners requested a detached carport as part of the project. Seen on the right side of this photo, it’s at street level and a full story higher than the studio building.
Find a local architect on Houzz