![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/353f1698280e1af34f336ef7c18303da9e5fa161b492ce2a5d8b8d4c0ff1f0fe/90-EastElevation_8am.png)
A live-work carbon smart house in rural Maine made of straw
This project felt like good fortune architecture Mad Libs.
A photographer, whose work we love, and her partner, who works in solar energy, asked us to design a modestly-sized, high-performance house & photography studio in rural Maine.
The charge from the Client, and a quality we aim for in all our work, was to create something timeless. Their words: “We don’t want it to look like it was built in the early 2020s.” Challenge accepted!
The design was inspired by equal parts New England vernacular—simple gable & shed forms, cedar shakes, painted wood floors—and some of our favorite artists & architects: Andrew Wyeth’s paintings, Georgia O’Keefe & Louise Bourgeois’s apartments, Donald Judd’s studio spaces, and Luis Barragan’s stairs, to name a few.
The charge from the Client, and a quality we aim for in all our work, was to create something timeless. Their words: “We don’t want it to look like it was built in the early 2020s.” Challenge accepted!
The design was inspired by equal parts New England vernacular—simple gable & shed forms, cedar shakes, painted wood floors—and some of our favorite artists & architects: Andrew Wyeth’s paintings, Georgia O’Keefe & Louise Bourgeois’s apartments, Donald Judd’s studio spaces, and Luis Barragan’s stairs, to name a few.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0e8731457bf351b80828c7a81a642ac748a341d1921a9410a318cf0b78c6a0a8/240318_PrairieHouse_Construction.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3e416467e7ec766a18ac8746bf581f248eaa0c8a0b97c8206dc4305a9e68ca94/93B-NorthElevation_1530.png)
The windows create a register of the spaces beyond. From the left: bathroom, stair, library (lower), & studio (upper)
Ground Floor Plan
From left to right:
- Screened-In Porch: Cot-sized for summer napping
- Living Room: With dining, kitchen, and large sliding doors to patio
- Library: Convertible to an in-law bedroom
- Bathroom
- Mudroom
- Entry porch
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/eeb1aacb2201a373cea534b1db3ecad46e145a787896e1314cc784a27a06065c/41-EastLivingRoom_945.png)
The ground floor strikes a balance between flexibility and specificity
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2be1ed1aae87a496d3583415a8d75a4987f96f3cd529cdb4be219f0ba989eeb3/40-LivingRoom_945.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0487f844eb6899ac33310c2b4d14ac7188a00ff5645425c5becac794fa920cfe/30_StairOblique_1300.png)
The large window on the landing and the transom into the library space brings northern light to the living space
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/05d466aaa380198232a618e8232e6f5c08b96ff7daeea8c541048b1469f506b8/42-Library_1600png.png)
The library is sized to be converted into a bedroom in the future, if need be.
We recommend this approach to Clients because it allows for aging in place (or accomodating an older relative).
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f112354603696f8c8df407990cab590e4649f8ff39f8d53c8b9d04ed07fce073/43-Library_1400.png)
Second Floor Plan
From left to right:
- Photography Studio: With Storage
- Landing: With sitting area below skylight, and linen closet
- Bathroom: With soaking tub & prairie views
- Bedroom: With walk-in closet
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9bbec3efe4e368a6fd2ba2a44d106ba9aed4f010a9318ab020a6b3614fdce4de/51-BedroomLookingEast_930.png)
The Client’s bedroom: the garage is visible from the window on the left
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7430ab72de250147abc2eec446238169bff77edf1f048c302d015d99b50c6701/75-Doors-Landing_830.png)
From the Client’s bedroom to the photography studio. Pocket doors were used for doors that’ll typically be left open.
The landing is made into a space of its own via a skylight and a bench.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f423be587c944c21ac94259af287641aa219c1ce7271ab551c2ac5978a8d20ee/62-Workspace_830.png)
The photography studio stretches the depth of the house, giving full expression to the gabled roof.
Client
PrivateTimeline
2021-Status
In ConstructionLocation
Hiram, MaineRelated Work