This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Photo: Travis Rathbone from 62nd to 158th Street along Manhattan’s West Side, Riverside Park is a vast expanse of green space on the edge of the Hudson River. The park is home to beautiful gardens, landscaped paths, sports facilities, public art, and some of the most stunning river views. For that reason it is widely regarded as Manhattan’s most spectacular waterfront park. No wonder it is one of the most sought after neighborhoods in the city. This interior project set along the scenic section of the Hudson came with only one criteria….make it cool. As a second home and city escape the client wanted a hip retreat for family and guests with a turn key interior. DL happily accepted the challenge creating unique and beautiful custom pieces and selecting everything from the wall-coverings to the kitchen appliances. As this was a secondary residence we had the freedom and flexibility to create an even more artful environment. These elements are apparent with the strong use of metal, concrete and the sculptural details of the furniture.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

Let's face it: times are changing. We're living in an era where technology advances at a fast pace and its developments have a significant impact on the surroundings. The need for environmental solutions has become more urgent with each passing day. While we live and adapt to our immediate environment, it doesn't mean that we have to settle with what's present, especially when our surrounding conditions are becoming detrimental to our wellbeing. This is the reason Singapore architects are looking into eco-friendly approaches when designing residential spaces. Singapore architects are becoming more proactive in integrating eco-friendly principles in their residential projects. Below are some of the standout reasons why: 1. You get to practice energy efficiency. In typical homes, electricity is powered by non-renewable sources. The continuous use of non-renewable energy increases carbon footprint and worsens air pollution, both of which negatively affect the environment. However, there are alternative sources of energy that can be included in your home's architectural design. These include solar panels and wind turbines that produce electricity that can keep the house powered. These methods do not produce toxic compounds or carbon emissions; they are also renewable and do not incur recurring expenses. 2. Eco-friendly architecture brings you closer to a more "natural environment." The emergence of urban landscapes has deprived today's generation of the opportunity to be one with nature. Individuals these days have to travel to the countryside to enjoy nature's beauty and all the amazing benefits it has to offer. Fortunately, eco-friendly architecture provides a route where you can better appreciate many of the benefits nature offers. As a homeowner, you must enjoy a calm, clean, and fresh indoor environment. Eco-friendly approaches to homes aim to provide this kind of atmosphere through the use of local materials, renewable energy sources, and incorporating nature's elements (such as sunlight and air ventilation) on the structural design. 3. You save money for maintenance and upkeep. Eco-friendly architecture is known for its low maintenance costs. At first glance, you may find it expensive to build a "green home." However, since it makes use of renewable energy sources and local resources for upkeep, operational costs become much cheaper compared to living in a conventional home. Also, green homes promote material efficiency. Apart from using local resources, eco-friendly construction involves building processes that generate as little waste as possible. Recycled and reusable materials are preferred in building the home, while the architectural design follows construction techniques that use less energy, water, and raw materials. 4. You enjoy better health. Living in a green home offers a lot of health benefits. For instance, eco-friendly architecture supports the use of natural materials and it discourages having plastic by-products in the building process. At the same time, eco-friendly architectural designs look into utilising vertical space to boost freedom of movement and air circulation. These spatial strategies allow you to breathe better even while indoors and move around the house without feeling cramped. Lastly, utilising vertical space offers more natural light to enter the home. Natural light is essential not just because it illuminates the house during the day, it also regulates the circadian rhythm, which dictates our body's waking and sleeping hours. In a nutshell Eco-friendly homes can help you save money and time, not to mention improve your health dramatically. Moreover, it can also help reduce your environmental footprint significantly. From improving air quality to helping regulate the effects of climate change, eco-friendly homes allow you to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

Edgar A. from Lincoln, IL chose Green Home Systems for their solar installation needs because of our competitive pricing and excellent service. The project took a couple months to complete and was 18.25 kW. Edgar went solar to save the environment, increase home value, and reduce utility bills. The roof was sloped and the chosen racking system was IRONRIDGE. The inverter make was SolarEdge and the solar panel brand was Panasonic. The main reason for recommending Green Home Systems was our financing options and warranty. We provided a free consultation and were able to help Edgar finance his project so that it would be more affordable for him. We also offer a warranty on our work so that Edgar can be confident in our services. Edgar is very satisfied with the results of his solar installation and we are proud to have helped him achieve his goals. If you are considering going solar, we encourage you to contact us for a free consultation to see how we can help you achieve your goals as well.

Photo: Travis Rathbone Stretching from 62nd to 158th Street along Manhattan’s West Side, Riverside Park is a vast expanse of green space on the edge of the Hudson River. The park is home to beautiful gardens, landscaped paths, sports facilities, public art, and some of the most stunning river views. For that reason it is widely regarded as Manhattan’s most spectacular waterfront park. No wonder it is one of the most sought after neighborhoods in the city. This interior project set along the scenic section of the Hudson came with only one criteria….make it cool. As a second home and city escape the client wanted a hip retreat for family and guests with a turn key interior. DL happily accepted the challenge creating unique and beautiful custom pieces and selecting everything from the wall-coverings to the kitchen appliances. As this was a secondary residence we had the freedom and flexibility to create an even more artful environment. These elements are apparent with the strong use of metal, concrete and the sculptural details of the furniture.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

The views from this vacation property really speak for themselves, and so it stands to reason that this client wanted to keep the million-dollar views in-tact. To do so, the entire living space is perched above the garage, somewhat like a grown-up tree house, where scenic glaciers, mountains, and farmland are not obstructed by the home's structure. In fact, the kitchen features oversized windows across the back of the counters, with cabinets only placed down below and on the interior wall to maximize on this view. A vacation home is also the perfect place to add in a little playfulness (as if the idea of a treehouse isn’t fun enough), and the Cameron’s enjoyed collaborating with the owners on the funky bathroom tile design and fixtures. These avid skiers desired a second home that was not only close to the slopes but offered the perfect après ski environment. They also wanted the property to feel just as inviting during the summer months when the only skiing takes place on the water.

The client’s request was quite common - a typical 2800 sf builder home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living space, and den. However, their desire was for this to be “anything but common.” The result is an innovative update on the production home for the modern era, and serves as a direct counterpoint to the neighborhood and its more conventional suburban housing stock, which focus views to the backyard and seeks to nullify the unique qualities and challenges of topography and the natural environment. The Terraced House cautiously steps down the site’s steep topography, resulting in a more nuanced approach to site development than cutting and filling that is so common in the builder homes of the area. The compact house opens up in very focused views that capture the natural wooded setting, while masking the sounds and views of the directly adjacent roadway. The main living spaces face this major roadway, effectively flipping the typical orientation of a suburban home, and the main entrance pulls visitors up to the second floor and halfway through the site, providing a sense of procession and privacy absent in the typical suburban home. Clad in a custom rain screen that reflects the wood of the surrounding landscape - while providing a glimpse into the interior tones that are used. The stepping “wood boxes” rest on a series of concrete walls that organize the site, retain the earth, and - in conjunction with the wood veneer panels - provide a subtle organic texture to the composition. The interior spaces wrap around an interior knuckle that houses public zones and vertical circulation - allowing more private spaces to exist at the edges of the building. The windows get larger and more frequent as they ascend the building, culminating in the upstairs bedrooms that occupy the site like a tree house - giving views in all directions. The Terraced House imports urban qualities to the suburban neighborhood and seeks to elevate the typical approach to production home construction, while being more in tune with modern family living patterns. Overview: Elm Grove Size: 2,800 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Completion Date: September 2014 Services: Architecture, Landscape Architecture Interior Consultants: Amy Carman Design

"Model L'EAU chair, with metal frame and technopolymer shell, stackable up to eight chairs high. A lightweight chair, with a metal base and a coloured and transparent shell, it has a strong visual impact due to the ""water waves"" motif that characterizes it. The technopolymer seat features concentric waves similar to those of water, which expand outwards from the centre of the seat. Suitable for any environment, both public and private. Choose the combination you prefer. Calligaris: Italian Smart Design since 1923 What does ""smart"" mean for us? Smart is harmony between technique and aesthetics, between reason and emotion, because each Calligaris piece encloses the know-how of our experienced designers and our creativity applied to contemporary living."