Freshly shorn in early spring, the meadow grasses and ferns quickly recover and assert their vibrant green authority. By late summer, golden hues waft in the gentle breezes, thigh high and beginning to bow to their own weight. Cut back again for the winter rains, they lie dormant, briefly, and begin the cycle anew.
Even the simplest architectural intervention begins with a deep respect for site, place and culture.
This small project reworked and expanded an existing well house to provide additional room for garden supplies as well as new electronics and a battery back-up system for an adjacent solar panel array. The roof and siding of the original structure were removed, a new garden shed and small deck were placed adjacent to it, and the entire composition was wrapped in a singular textured skin and sheltered by a gently sloping roof.
The selection of materials – closely spaced natural cedar battens and finely corrugated rusting metal – allows the structure to fit quietly within the shifting hues and textures of the meadow’s changing seasons. A background of shiplap charred wood siding provides a contrast to these materials and allows the individual components to read clearly and simply.