Hillside House Master Plan

 

Currently under construction, Hillside House is located on a previously developed high rolling piedmont site overlooking a golf course and within the stringently controlled buffers of the Chattahoochee River.  A compact two-story footprint allows the six-bedroom house to stay within jurisdictional restrictions to land disturbance.  The aesthetics of the house follow a straightforward refined minimalism with all features fulfilling either functional requirements or goals for energy conservation.

 

Designed for a growing family with strong extended family ties the house is open and social.  Environmental concerns were paramount for the family and the house fits tightly into its microclimate, sitting lightly on the land, saving the majority of existing trees and minimizing grading.

 

Glazing faces primarily south toward views of the golf course and piedmont hills beyond.  Overhangs and eaves shelter windows in the summer while allowing winter sun to penetrate.  Ground source geothermal heat pumps provide heating, cooling, lap pool conditioning and hot water.  Cross ventilation is carefully designed for each space allowing suspension of heating and cooling during the wonderful extended mild climate of Atlanta’s spring and fall.

 

Other passive and active techniques are employed including: high albedo roofing, foam insulation, energy recovery ventilators, daylighting, low-to-no volatile organic compounds [VOC] in materials and coatings, primarily LED lighting, salvaged wood finishes, provisions for a future roof-mounted photovoltaic array and rainwater harvest system.