Gordon Berman Net Zero

Location
Niantic, CT
Size
4,464 sqft
Status
Complete
Years
2022
Bedrooms
3
Baths
4
1 W 240422 105534 RT
2 W2 240422 105522 RT
4w 240422 105557 RT
5 W 240422 105682 RT
6 W 240422 105415 RT
10 W2 240422 105415 RT
11 W 240422 105588 RT
9 W 240422 105366 RT
12 W 240422 105291 RT
13 W 240422 105649 RT
7 W 240422 105393 RT
8 W 240422 105343 RT
10.5 W2 240422 105669 RT
W 240422 105229 RT
14 W 240422 105209 RT
16 W2 240422 105319 RT
18 W 240422 105657 RT
14.5 W 240422 006 RT
21 W 240422 044 RT
17 W 240422 105307 RT
W 240422 105331 RT
19 W 240422 105711 RT
20 3 W 240422 105693 RT
W 240422 081 RT
W 240422 105503 RT
W 240422 105483 RT
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Default
RPA Gordon Berman 051822 Site Plan
RPA Gordon Berman 051822 Site Plan
RPA Gordon Second Floor Plan 071321
RPA Gordon North Elevation 071321
RPA Gordon East Elevation 051722
RPA Gordon South Elevation 051722
RPA Gordon West Elevation 051722
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1 W 240422 105534 RT
2 W2 240422 105522 RT
4w 240422 105557 RT
5 W 240422 105682 RT
6 W 240422 105415 RT
10 W2 240422 105415 RT
11 W 240422 105588 RT
9 W 240422 105366 RT
12 W 240422 105291 RT
13 W 240422 105649 RT
7 W 240422 105393 RT
8 W 240422 105343 RT
10.5 W2 240422 105669 RT
W 240422 105229 RT
14 W 240422 105209 RT
16 W2 240422 105319 RT
18 W 240422 105657 RT
14.5 W 240422 006 RT
21 W 240422 044 RT
17 W 240422 105307 RT
W 240422 105331 RT
19 W 240422 105711 RT
20 3 W 240422 105693 RT
W 240422 081 RT
W 240422 105503 RT
W 240422 105483 RT
Default
Default
RPA Gordon Berman 051822 Site Plan
RPA Gordon Berman 051822 Site Plan
RPA Gordon Second Floor Plan 071321
RPA Gordon North Elevation 071321
RPA Gordon East Elevation 051722
RPA Gordon South Elevation 051722
RPA Gordon West Elevation 051722
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next arrow
STORY


DESCRIPTION

The Niantic Net Zero House is a single-family home neat the sailing mecca of Block Island Sound. Passive House design strategies create an exceptional living environment for this home embraced in granite cliffs with breathtaking views of the Niantic Sound. For a Philadelphia-based couple, finding a location for their second home and choosing an architect to fulfill their vision, was a years-long journey. The husband, a renowned designer and builder of luxury catamarans, and wife, a prominent communications executive, thoroughly investigated communities, natural environments, and properties that would enable the indoor/outdoor lifestyle they desired. This included convenient access to their own catamaran and a robust sailing community they would enjoy into retirement.
After years looking around the Eastern Seaboard, they discovered an undeveloped cliffside site facing the Niantic Sound, adjacent to the sailing mecca of Block Island Sound. This location also encouraged the incorporation of a living space that would entice their adult son to visit regularly from New York City. Passionate and knowledgeable about thoughtful design, the couple sought modern building strategies to deliver an exceptional living environment, beautiful aesthetics, and meaningful, measurable sustainability. After painstaking research into architects at the vanguard of sustainable modern design, a detailed design brief went to the architecture firm on a Sunday and, enthused by the details, they were on the phone that afternoon. The firm soon visited the site to document the project location assets. With the site determined, and feeling confident in their chosen architect, the couple were eager to dive into the design process and move into their completed home in 18 months. The selected contractor was headquartered just 30 minutes from the site and was distinguished by building the first Passive House in the state of Connecticut. An avid sailor himself, the principle grew up in the area to become a respected builder working with local subcontractors all continuing the proud tradition of New England craftmanship. The small water-side community now enjoys an exquisite modern home nestled naturally into the cliffside and glowing warmly above the New England marina which is also home to the couple’s own catamaran -- a new addition to the area’s distinguished sailing tradition. More importantly, the Passive House strategies combined with photovoltaic solar collection make this home an energy-neutral inspiration to the community and those who consider how to conceive their own home design.

DESIGN

This project is intended to serve as a second home for the owners of a luxury catamaran design/build firm. They searched for years to find a seaside site that could support their vision of a modern home and was one with its natural environment while enjoying access to and expansive views of the water. Discerning of design details and materials selection, these considerations were paramount – as was the goal of sustainability. The clients expect to employ leading-edge building design and construction strategies to minimize the environmental impact of their new home. Aesthetically, the client envisioned the design would integrate “two barn shapes.” Given the long search to find the perfect property, the client challenged the team to complete the project in 18 months. Program requirements
  • Maximize the impact of the views of Niantic Sound from indoor and outdoor areas.
  • Create a separate living space for visits from the adult son of the owners.
  • Mitigate design and construction challenges created by the site’s granite cliffside.
  • Engineer to meet stringent approvals of the area, particularly for stormwater management.
  • Work through the New England winter to meet occupancy deadline.
  • Leverage modern building strategies for a maximally sustainable home.
Distinguishing aspects of the project Passive House design strategies combined with on-site renewable roof mounted solar panels to achieve the clients’ sustainability objectives and the home’s net zero status. A pre-fabricated envelope and steel framing help meet the client’s aggressive schedule. As one of the most experienced U.S. architecture firms in pre-fabricated Passive Houses, the firm advised on GC and pre-fab vendor selection. Glass walls across the eastern side of the home ensure continual views of the Sound, retracting to connect seamlessly to outdoor space. External shades provide an effective strategy to regulate sun exposure and control passive solar gain. The architect envisioned the two barn shapes into zoning which defines the master zone and a separated guest zone connected by a public zone for gathering. The middle zone also serves to connect the home with the natural flow of granite cliff above and the waters of the Niantic Sound below.

DETAILS
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