Projects / New Homes      Norway, ME

Pikes Hill

"We adore our home. We’re frequently almost late to work because we’re just wandering around looking at the light or looking out the windows."

Project Team

Context

On a 9.5-acre lot at the top of Pikes Hill in their hometown, the clients hoped to get distant mountain peak views as well as a glimpse of Lake Pennesseewassee beyond. Most of all, they wanted a modestly sized home that kept them warm in the coldest Maine winters while they did their daily exercises in an indoor endless pool. They also wanted a place to show off their prized collection of carved decoys.

Response

We created an almost crystalline form that reflected the push and pull of the most important factors on the site: views directly to the NNW, an approach from the ESE, and of course, sun from direct south. To keep the size modest, we peeled away the excess spaces and scaled down any rooms that desired intimacy (the bedrooms) or did not require height (the pool room).

A deep but very thin overhang at the southern corner provides shade and drops a dramatic shadow mimicking the one seen at the entry porch. An incrementally tapering staircase carves a little more space away in the entry foyer and leads the eye to the main living area beyond. From the main living space, a ribbon of glass opens to the view down the hill and to the lake beyond. The exterior features locally milled tongue-and-groove cedar in two varying directions, with gaps not only at the verticals, but at the horizontal joints as well. This high-performance home needs just a single heat pump per floor and utilizes the gas stove only to take the edge off the coldest of nights, perhaps right after a dip in the pool.

Specs

  • Year Completed

  • Cost

    $$$$$$
  • Gross Floor Area

    1989 sq ft
  • Baths

    2
  • Partners

    Maine Passive House

Sustainability Achievements

Site

  • Walkable location
  • Sustainable landscape

Materials

  • Uses locally-sourced materials
  • Designed for durability
  • Designed for low maintenance
  • Low global warming potential insulation

Wellness

  • Optimized for daylighting
  • Fresh air ventilation system for indoor air quality
  • Visual connection to the outdoors
  • Low-VOC finishes

Water

  • Low-flow fixtures
  • Designed to maintain natural drainage patterns
  • Landscaping requires little water

Energy

  • Fossil fuel-free building
  • Uses passive design strategies
  • Fresh air ventilation system with heat recovery
  • Super-insulated
  • Triple-glazed windows
  • Airtight construction