Architect Robert Cain views the house's three pitched-roof compo…
When South Carolina general contractor Wallie Hiers decided to build a home for himself and his family, his top priorities were ample views, natural light, and cross ventilation. After he and architect Robert Cain chose a site on Hiers’ 200-acre property, Cain drew up a floor plan of three staggered shotgun-style pavilions linked by glassed-in walkways. “There are a lot of houses in the South that were traditionally built in a shotgun fashion,” he says. “One of the reasons was that you could get great cross ventilation.” His contemporary, triple-layered version is large enough to satisfy the owners’ programmatic requirements, while bringing in the breezes, sunlight, and sightlines they wanted. “The three pavilions are really simple and beautiful and honest,” said a judge.
The judges also commented on the interplay of shadow and light on the home’s exterior—an effect of the slim steel roof supports and the varied-width, red-painted cedar siding. “We chose a mix of board sizes to create a very controlled random pattern,” Cain says. “It loosens the house up considerably.” He and Hiers took a green approach, specifying salvaged steel and wood for much of the project. And a water-source geothermal heat pump ensures low energy bills. After using the water, the system deposits it into a manmade lake on the property. Cain came up with the idea of creating the lake from an existing pit; his design for a waterfront dock won a separate Custom Home Design Award in the Accessory Buildings category.
Project Credits
Entrant/Architect: Robert M. Cain, Architect, Atlanta
Builder: Brunson Construction Co., Hampton, S.C.
Living space: 3,500 square feet
Site: 200 acres
Construction cost: $150 a square foot
Photographer: Rob Karosis/robkarosis.com
Product Resources
Bathroom plumbing fittings: Kohler; Brick products: Vulcan Materials; Dishwasher: Thermador; Entry doors/patio doors/windows: Weathershield; Hardware: Blum, Hafele, Schlage, Stanley; Insulation: Dow-Corning; Interior doors: Algoma; Kitchen plumbing fittings: Kohler; Lighting fixtures: Bega, Lightolier, Norbert Belfer, Prescolite, Tech; Oven: Thermador; Paints: Sherwin-Williams; Refrigerator: Sub-Zero; Roofing: Galvalume; Sheathing/Structural lumber: Georgia Pacific.
