Along the River’s Edge A Bed and Breakfast Residence

Along the River’s EdgeA Bed and Breakfast Residence

by Jennifer Ann Organsky

This thesis is submitted to the Graduate Faculty ofVirg in ia Poly technic Inst i tu te and Sta teUniversity in partial fulfillment for the degree of

Master of Architecture

Approved by:

William W. Brown - Thesis Chairman

Michael J. O’Brien

Warren Kark

February 2001Blacksburg, VA

AbstractThere are many forces at work in a design process.Each element of a design sketch reacts to onesbefore and after it. As an designer, one must beable to look at each as an individual and as part ofthe whole. In addition, the ideals and experiencebrought to a project works its magic as well. It isthe tension and the balance between the elementsand ideals that create architecture.

With a Bed and Breakfast as a project vehicle, theconnection to the site, the relationship betweenpublic and private areas, and how the materials andstructure for m spaces were studied. Theseconsiderations led to a process of discovery andthe challenge to weave the site, structure, andmaterials in a cohesive design.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

Robert Frost

Table of ContentsNature

SiteOrder

MaterialStructure

LightConclusion

CreditsBibliography

AcknowledgmentsVita

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“The idea of the country house immediately conjures up a wholeseries of images associated with proximity to nature and the desirethe live in a landscape, to live life at a less hectic pace. In today’ssociety, centered on cities that impose their geometric landscapeand their speed, the country implies a shift towards a different classof activity. Anyone who decides to build a house on a prairie or onthe edge of a forest assumes an initial decision: the desire for adegree of isolation, the achievement of greater tranquility and thebeginning of a two-fold journey: toward a heightened awareness ofsimple irreducible things. Mornings in the shade of the trees,afternoons by the river, the starry night sky, the sight of the horizonand the sun setting, and at the same time a gradual release from thewebs of relationships and obligations which make up the urbanfabric, and a move towards different facets of oneself, otherpersonalities, which emerge as one’s rhythm of life slows down.”

F.A. Cerver in Rustic and Country Houses

Nature

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Spending time in the countryside gives one a wholenew sense of being. One comes in contact withnature first hand. The smell of the rain, the soundof a stream, the sight of deer, the power of natureis inescapable. When I was a child, I spent familyvacations at my father’s cabin. It was a modesthunting cabin set in the rural countryside ofPotter County, Pennsylvania. Through the years, Ihave learned about the hard work and dedicationit has taken to make the cabin that we enjoy today.I have gained an appreciation for nature, solitude,and simplicity of small structures. The foundingfathers, as well as friends, helped build the 800sq.ft. retreat over a 22 year period, with changesoccurring throughout that time.

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, tofront only the essential facts of life, and see if I could learnwhat it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discoverthat I had not lived. “ (Thoreau 1996:118)

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Give me the splendid silent sun...Give me an arbor...Give me nightsperfectly quiet as on high plateaus...and I looking up at the stars...Giveme solitude, give me Nature,give me again O Nature your primalsanities!

Walt Whitman Give Me the Splendid Silent Sun

This time spent in the country helped to shape mythes is project . The dec is ion was made todesign a Bed and Breakfast. The purpose of thedesign was to create a place for family, friends, andguests to ga ther , re lax , and en joy thewonders of the countryside. A rural site in BathCounty, Virginia was chosen encompassing a widevariety of site conditions. Mountains, valleys,streams, and rivers surround the location for theproject. Important considerations for the designwere: the connection to the site, the relationship betweenpublic and private areas, and how the materials andstructure form spaces. A timber frame system andmassive curved stone walls are the two majorstr uctura l systems of the bui ld ing. Theseconsiderations led to a process of discovery andthe challenge to weave the site, structure, andmaterials in a cohesive design.

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“The Site constitutes the land within its boundariesAnd yet it extends beyond.

The Site is the hill, the valley, the rocks,The very earth itself.

The Site is the climate, the sun, the rain, the windThe lights and shadows which fall on it.

The Site is the sum of the very materials which constitute it:Materialistic and etheric.

The Site is the tradition: the background, the past, the presentThe whole totality of that particular place: visible and invisible

The Site is place

The Site is totality

The Site is environment.”

Richard England from Voices of a Site

Site

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Bath County is located in the West central portionof Virginia. In 1766, the first hotel on the presentsite of the Homestead Resort was built. Visitorsbegan coming to Bath County and by the early 19thcentury, 6,000 visitors were arriving annually. Inthe 1800’s and today, Bath County is recognized asa major outdoor recreation and resort destination.The “lush forests, rushing crystal rivers, hot andwarm springs, and beautiful mountain scenery” arewhat draw thousands of visitors each year. Manyof the visitors stay at The Homestead Resort,located in Hot Springs. This elegant hotel isregarded as one of the finest year round resorts inthe world. Scattered throughout the smal lcommunities are additional hotels, rustic lodges,and bed and breakfasts for the use of the thousandsof visitors.

“A l though there a re rugged peaks and deep rav ines , i t i sessentially a peaceful, gentle land. the landscape has a femininecharm, wi th i ts h igh h i l l s , but t ressed by rounded shoulders ,sweeping smoothly down to the valleys. It bespeaks of fertility andlife, with its wooded hillsides overlooking green pastures.”(Ingalls 1949:1)

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Five miles from the Homestead, a site was chosenfor the project for this thesis, a bed and breakfast.One must travel from Hot Springs, over WarmSprings Mountain (2900 feet) and continue eastdescending into a valley. This scenic journey overthe mountain, which descends some 1300 feet isbreathtaking. Once over the mountain the landflattens in areas before once again erupting into amountainous terrain. In the flattened areas alongrural route 629, farmland clearings and forestschange the density of the landscape. As onecontinues, two mountains appear in the distance.The site is located on the edge of this new changein elevation. The Cowpasture River flows at thefoot of the mountains where a canopy of treesemerge on the riverbank and cover the mountain.Through the shade of trees one gets the firstglimpse of the bed and breakfast.

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Traveling farther from the highway one becomesmore in tune with their surroundings. Narrowroads lead past small towns twisting and turningto follow the contours of mountains. Denseforests shade the road, with rays of light breakingthrough bringing glimpses of the sun. Localshopkeepers wave good morning as one passes.Visitors are welcome to enjoy what the locals loveabout this area, the slower pace of life and thebeauty of the countryside.

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The overall idea about placement of the structureon the site developed from the topography. Earlyinvestigations placed a curved wall following thecontour lines of the site and directed itself towardthe river. A path was designed to start at thedriveway entrance, continue to the parking area,cross a smaller bridge, and arrive at the front door.

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“An architectural response to a site can begin with a symbolicgesture that is expressive of an attitude of the users toward the site.”(Jensen 1990:92)

“One of the essential elements of good architecture is the route, theway in, the way through and the way out of a building.”Tom Ellis “The Discipline of the Route”

21

Crossing the river, one enters the realm of the site.Descending twenty feet into the canopy of trees, acloser view of the house is revealed. A stream thatleads into the river lies between the visitor and theguest house. Together, the river, the canopy oft rees and the s t ream are e lements in theprocession to the house, each one offering adifferent perspective and greater anticipation ofinside. Once over the stream, the house ispositioned far enough from each natural elementso each remains untouched. This placement offersthe best vantage point to view the mountain,stream, and river, creating a special place for aretreat. The placement of the house between thethree natural elements allows one to reflect backon what brought them to this place in the woods;the desire to gain a new perspective of life, rest inthe wonder of nature, and enjoy the slower paceof life.

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Cow

pastu

re R

iver

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505 25

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As I sat in the shade of a timber framed coveredporch, the rocking chair creaked with every sway.I was taken away to another place. There were nosounds of traffic, no sounds of people chattering,no sounds of the hustle and bustle of everyday lifeI left behind. I found the sounds here to besoothing. The river rushed along, and the leaveswere rustled by the wind’s gentle hand. With birdschirping in song, I was able to look around andtake in all that nature offered. Shadows of treebranches dancing in the wind, a deer with her fawngrazing in the field, and two butterflies twirlingabout. It is here in the countryside that we can slowdown enough to see and hear these wonders ofnature.

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“Design is necessary for the relative materialization ofform. A balance between forces must be attainedif unity is to be achieved within a field of perpetualchange. When everything is released and emptiness isfull, there is balance.

Form maintains its space in order to experience thetime associated with it. Three dimensional formpossesses both a mental and an aesthetic quality; bothof which are characteristics of time.

Design is a dimensional vehicle. In form, designmaintains a space, is finite and self limiting. In form,design becomes a vehicle traveling in time, yet design’scapacities are infinite and its goals immeasurable.”

Carl Garant from Tao of Design

Order

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STONE WALLSStone wal ls are the primary element in thehierarchy of order. Studies of the entry sequenceproposed that the wa l l s ta r t s in thelandscape and continues inside to become part ofthe structure. At first there was one central wallthat ran through the building. This wall curved andfollowed the contours of the site, as well asseparating the public and private parts of the house.The wall was a static object, it did not change.Passing through rooms, it had the same thickness,and you only experienced one side of it. Qualities,such as the thickness, of the wall were not revealed.

The desire for a more complex wall lead the wayto break the wall into many pieces. The stone wallbecame rectilinear. The one wall was cut and shiftedparallel to its original location. The trace of themovement was recorded by a stone floor. Wherethe p ieces were d i sp laced , a s tonethreshold recorded its original position. Therepositioning of the pieces allowed the wall tochange, as well as allow the viewer to experiencethe wall in more than one way. The wall now was apiece of a larger puzzle, each piece able to changein height, width, and function, to engage the spacesdifferently. The viewer now was able to walkaround a wall, see it from all sides, and view itsmass in section. This one act of breaking the wallinto many pieces elevated its complexity andusefulness.

The development of the stone wall changed withthe realization that connecting the building to thesite was of utmost importance. The rectilinearscheme was analyzed for its orientation to the en-trance path, the desire to direct views back to theoutside, and its topographic position. A 30degree shift was studied, splitting the building intotwo zones. This split was evaluated for its abilityto address the above concerns as well as activateinterior spaces. A direct link from the parking areato the front door and face to welcome guests wasachieved. The views to the outside from the livingspace were redirected from a large concrete bridgelocated adjacent to the site, to the river anddownstream. Guest rooms located in the southzone, had broad river views from the front roomsand partial river views from the rear rooms.

North Zone

South Zone

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With functional concerns resolved, the relationshipbetween the north and south zones with the stonewall needed to be addressed. As in earlier studies,the walls curve following the site topography,affirming the divide between the two zones.Following the curve made by the land, the stonewall leads the visitor into the house, and shiftsinside to guide through the spaces to the guestrooms. The second wall of the two major wallsbecomes the actual connector to enclose the spacebetween the north and south zones from theoutside. It is a facade toward the river-view andcontinues into the living space and guest rooms.These curves soften the hard angles created by the30 degree shift in the massing. This shift, alongwith the transformation of the stone walls,organizes the building spatially into living, guestrooms, and owner’s zones.

The stone walls that begin in the landscape andcontinue through the building activate the spacesby adding mass, texture and density. The wallsdirect attention toward entry spaces adjacent tothem. By shifting the broken walls and allowingthem to overlap in different planes, a spacebetween the walls is made to emphasize passagefrom the sitting area to a river-facing room. Thisspatial compression is released when entering theroom. The route to a forest-facing room leads youalong the wall compressing you between a stonewall and a light framed wall, giving a releasetoward the lighter away from the sense of the massand weight of the stones. A third route directs youthrough the wall to another river-facing room,engaging the guest with the stone mass reinforcingentry. The stone walls reinforce the act of entryinto the guest rooms.

Owner

Living

Guest

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COLUMNSTimber columns are the second element in the hierarchyof architectural order. The columns were introduced whenthe stonewall was in its final development. The 30 degreerotation of the plan had occurred and general placementof the stone walls were determined. In the first stages,sketches studied the minimum and maximum density ofthe grid. In the minimum study, the two rectangles of thesplit were ‘outlined’ to make a connection on the exteriorwith the site full of trees, and in the interior to reinforcethe split. The result, was no interplay of the twoelements. To address this concern, the maximum numberof columns in the grid were studied. In places where thestone walls and the grid crossed, the stonewall replacedthe column, however, in the area where the two grids metno rules were made. If the stone walls were to be used asa structural member, the amount of columns overrodethis decision. (page 30 - sketches a,b)

A decision was made to utilize the stone walls moreef f i c i en t l y in the co lumn order by shar ing theresponsibility of holding up the building. Reducing thenumber of column bays from four to three, changed thegrid from 9’x9’ to a 12’x14’ grid. Another decision wasmade to remove the columns in-between the stone walls.These columns were redundant because the space betweenwas short enough to span. The important decisions ofchanging grid spacing and removing columns helped toreduce the total amount of wood required and utilizedboth systems more efficiently by making one rely on theother to support the entire structure. (page 30 - sketch c)

Within the framework of stone walls and columns, lightframed walls were used to enclose interior spaces. Butwhere would the grid place the columns in relation tothese walls? Would they be in the plane of the wall, justinside the wall, or just outside the wall? Many sketchesshowing different solutions resulted with no finaldecision. In frustration, columns were removed from theback side of the stone walls, leaving only two areas boundby the front wall in the column grid. Could this decisionbe justified? The areas left out of the grid were theprivate kitchen and living quarters for the owners and twoguest rooms. Framing these areas in l ight woodconstruction was considered. Differentiating public andprivate areas was a possible answer, but this decision didnot follow the rule. Having some guest rooms timberframed, some not, was investigated. How could theseguest rooms be ‘connected’ to the private spaces but stillbe light wood construction? (page 30 - sketch d)

In the process of investigating the ‘connection’ questionsthe presence of wood in each space was investigated.Could elements of timber framing as well as light woodconstruction be used to build the same guest room? Ifso, what elements were required to make the decisioncohesive? Timber rafters in the rooms were considered,for it would bring the texture, size, and presence of woodinto these spaces. This decision seemed additive, it didnot belong in the same language. Tieing them into thelight frame structure wasn’t being true to the use oftimber frame. I envisioned the timber frame structure aspart of the entire order of guest activity. Perhaps theanswer would come from another part of the project.

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About this same time the roof enclosure was evolving.Three roof planes, living and kitchen, guest rooms, andthe second floor, enclosed the spaces. The second floorroof helped to ‘connect’ the two split parts just as thestone walls did. The two front parts were ‘connected’ byway of the timber structure. One question still remained.How do the guest rooms (in the back section) ‘connect’with the rest of the building intelligently? The solutionwas found by investigating how the roof and the stonewalls came together. In section, the design of the threeroofs and the stonewalls that supported them created apotential water runoff problem. The second floor roof,as well as the other two roofs, sloped toward the river. Abarrier for the water was created between the two planes.The problem could be resolved with ‘mechanical’ devices,but perhaps a change in the architectural form would bestovercome this obstacle.

With alterations in massing, issues regarding the use oftimber frame or light wood construction became clear.Underlying ideas of function began to play a vital role.Intelligently connecting guest areas and private areas withconstruction methods was needed. Revisiting thequestion, how do the back guest rooms relate both toprivate and other public areas was crucial. Roof massingnow connected the private owners quarters with the backguest rooms. How would the other guest rooms beconnected? The solution was to continue the timber frameto join the four guest rooms on either side of the stonewall, and to have the stacked private owners space belight wood construction. From the exterior the formreinforced the function. This differentiation in form andfunction completed most of the puzzle, but one piecestill remained.

With the stone walls and general guidelines of the grid incheck, exact placement of the columns was left to bedesigned. Structurally, the stone walls and columns worktogether each carrying its share of the roof. Spacing fromstone wall to column was such that spanning membersdid not have to be sized differently. With general spacingrequirements understood about the structure, studies againturned to the position of the columns in relation to lightframed walls which enclosed the interior spaces. Wherewould the grid place the columns in relation to these walls?Would they be in the plane of the wall, just inside the wall,or just outside the wall? (sketch 1,2,3) Through continualstudies and the changes that occured in organizing theordering elements, the decision was clear. The final schemepositions the columns free of the walls. The columns standapart far enough from the wall so as to be seen as aseparate element. It was essential that one could walkaround the column. A radius of three feet around eachcolumn was designed to be unobstructed. This gave thecolumn its own presence in each room. This was alsotrue of exterior spaces. As an extension of the house,sheltered places for sitting, which made a transition frominside to outside, were designed. The three foot rule sizedthe exterior spaces shaping places for sitting and walking.The final result of the three foot rule located one timbercolumn in four of the five guest rooms. ( The fifth room,located between the stonewalls utilizes the stone walls forsupport not timber columns.) The one timber column,with its beam, rafter, and purlins overhead to support theroof, provide a wonderful presence overhead in the smallspace. Together, the ordering of the stone wall and thetimber column grid complement each space beautifully.(page 30 - sketch e)

1

2

3

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Wood Column Study

a

b

c

d

e

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Hierarchy Study

Light Frame Walls

Wood Columns

Stone Walls

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1-Entry2-Living room3-Office4-Kitchen5-Dining room6-Laundry7-Sitting area8-Guest room9-Bathroom10-Sitting(owner)11-Storage12-Bedroom (owner)13-Wine Cellar14-Utility

1 5 10

1

2

4

5

3

8

8

8

8

8

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127

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13

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99

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First Floor Plan

1 5 10

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Second Floor Plan

1 5 10

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Basement Floor Plan

1 5 10

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Marco Polo describes a bridge stone by stone.

“But which is the stone that supports the bridge?”Kublai Khan asks.

“the Bridge is not supported by one stone or another,”Marco answers, “but by the line of the arch that they form.”

Kublai Khan remains silent, reflecting.

Then he adds:“Why do you speak to me of the stones?It is only the arch that matters to me.”

Polo answers, “Without the stones there is no arch.”

Italo Calvino from Invisible Cities

Material

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I had an opportunity to see a stone wall underconstruction in the town of Ballymacward, locatedin county Galway, Ire land. Two men wererebuilding a tumbled down wall adjacent to anolder one. Centuries old, it was getting a new face,using the same weathered stones. The wall wasapproximately 500 feet long and about 4 feet tall.Guiding you through the small town, the wallturned the corner and ended in front of the church.This wall was a landmark holding its place near thetown center. The two men had been working onthe wall every day for about four months and hadmany more hard days of working to go. In all, it isa l abor of love to const r uct such a wa l l .

After seeing these men put forth the effort andcraftsmanship required to construct such abeautiful wall, I began to see the stones differently.The countryside is filled with miles of stone wallsused for retaining the land, fencing in pastures,lining driveways, and forming small bridges overstreams. A strong and very durable material, it iswith good reason some of these walls have beenaround for hundreds of years. Thinking back tothose two men choosing the one stone that wouldfit nicely against the last, I realized that the sametime and skill was required for these walls as well.Each stone presented a design challenge and mightbe handled three or four times before beingchosen for placement in the wall. The cracks,indentations, convolutions, ir regularities, anddifferences of light and dark add to the value ofeach stone. In a fieldstone, wall attention is givento these characteristics to distribute the randomcolors and s izes throughout the wal l . Theindividual characteristics of each stone bringbeauty to the whole composit ion making amasterpiece of the parts.

STONE

“Man has always treated stone more imaginatively. Itbegan when Glog-the-caveman picked up a stoneand heaved it at his neighbor. That is the problemwith a single stone. I mean, what else can you dowith one stone but throw it? A pile of stones is a farmore constructive thing.” (Schwenke 1975:5)

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In the Valley Verrzacsa, located in the Ticinoregion of Switzerland, an array of stone buildingsfrom old to new capture a sense of material.Sognogno is a small town located in the valley wherethe buildings are constructed from the localindigenous stone. The stairs, the load bearing walls,up to the roof ‘shingles’, are all laid in stone.Modern construction methods have not changeddramatically. The use of timber is added forstructural roof supports, and stones remain thematerial for the roof covering in lieu of wood ormetal. Walking around the all stone village one istaken back to a world of building from long ago.One i s made aware of the mater ia l andconstruction, and the grandeur of its presence.

For this thesis project, I chose to use a localweatherface building stone with colors rangingfrom grays to pinks for the structural walls andarches. The sills and tops of the walls are cappedwith a limestone, which refines parts of the stonemassing. The exterior stone of the covered porchesis an irregular bluestone flagstone, and its smoothtexture nicely contrasts the rough building stone.

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A section drawing through the guest area shows theconnection where the timber frame meets the plane of thestone wall.

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The repetition of wooden beams and rafters forming thetimber frame structure are depicted in this sectiondrawing of the guest area.

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WOOD“The sight of a barn can still inspire awe not onlybecause of the power of its size and the beauty ofits structure, but because of what it stands for aswel l ; human perseverance, ingenui ty, andcraftsmanship.” (Larkin 1995:64) Viewed in thelandscape, a barn has a recognizable for m;however , once ins ide , the mater ia ls of thestructure speak a different language. The massivetimbers crisscross and soar up to the roof. Thestrength, age, mass, and presence of the woodcapture one’s attention. Unlike a fieldstone wallwhere each stone is used based on its present form,each wooden member must be shaped to an exactform so all the pieces will fit together. I had theopportunity to visit Blueridge Timberwrights, alocal timber frame company in Elliston, Virginia.I was able to see firsthand the labor and precisionneeded to make each timber connection. I watchedthe craftsmen planing, sanding and chiseling thewood to shape the pieces. The framework ofrefined pieces becomes a magical work of art.

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Over the centur ies many craf t smen havemanipulated wood into marvelous works. Theshakers were one such people. Woodworking inthe Shaker manner is simple and functional. Thisentails furniture, millwork, and interior mouldingto cite a few examples which are committed tobalance and order. Devoid of al l forms ofdecoration and ornamentation, each piece ishandmade to perfection. The beauty derives fromits perfect functionalism. The pieces may appearto be plain, but if closely admired, there is care inthe proportions. Dresser drawers decrease slightlyin height as they rise. Each peg is threaded at thebase to twist easily into or out of a pegboard.When the constraints and possibi l i t ies of amaterial are mastered, one can create refinedobjects that sur vive the tes t of t ime.

It is in the language of refinement that I envisionthe use of wood in my thesis project. Reclaimeddouglas fir timbers are employed for the structuralmembers. In keeping with environmental concerns,recycled t imbers have the added benefit ofbringing something from a past project to a newlybuilt structure. The timbers will be newly planedachieving a refined quality but still show the marksof the past in previous joints. Cherry wood will beused for cabinets in the kitchen, bath, and forbuilt-in furniture pieces. Oak will be used as aflooring material throughout the main living spacesand guest rooms, and as accents in cabinetry.

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Look there!It stands today

As strong as six-score memoried years ago;A big barn built to hold fat crops in its massive mows,As provender to last the long rows of sleek cows,In the stables underneath,The long dark winter through.

Examine, if you will,These giant plates and beams,These stalwart loins and limbs and thighs.Each one was once upon a splendid timeA giant pineSinging a hundred feet towards the skies,Then topped to sixty feet of needed length,Hewed from the round to fourteen inches square.

See There!The marks of hewing axe and adze,Swung straight and true.

Read there the taleOf toil and seat and fine prideIn shaping these great timbers.

Stand with meA wondrous moment.

In that crafted treeIs history enough of old great-grandsire timesA centry ago and more.

Those sheathing boards,Those tenons, mortices and dowells,Those thews and sinews,Those mitres bevelled true,Fitted in tight embrace to fight the windsAnd the strong side-thrust of the sheaves and hay.There stands my barn!

Monument to the past!Feast for the present!

Song for the future!

My Barn by Dean Hughes

Structure

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Load Bearing Stone WallThe first stone shelters were caves; houses bysubtraction. Before long, caveman realized thereverse could apply, and used the addition processto construct a wall. By placing flat rocks one ontop of another, he could ‘design’ the dwelling tohis liking. Except for the addition of mortar, thisprocess has not changed remarkably to the presentday. (Schwende 1975:17) In this thesis project thewalls are constructed in the same traditionalmanner with the joints struck fairly deep so thatthe mortar is in shadow. Being the primarystructural element they are the first element to bebuilt. The large footings must accommodate wallsfrom 4 feet to 45 feet tall for the chimneys. Beingfairly tall, the walls gain more stability due to thecurve shape. When the stones are laid, two wallswill actually be built with tie-stones across both toconnect them together. As the walls are built,arched openings, fireplaces, and places to receivethe timber structure are built.

Timber FrameDue to the 30 degree shift in the rectilinear masses,two timber framed structures are tied into the stonewalls. There are two stages in assembling the frame.Bents are assembled to stand parallel to the stonewalls. Each bent is contructed of columns, beams,and bracing. The columns, spaced every 12 feet,are connected to beams by mortise-and-tenonjoinery with a peg for extra support. Bracingbetween the two members helps stabilize andprevent racking. The columns are then tied intopier foundations with exterior columns sitting onstone bases protecting the end grain from water.After these bents are put in place and temporarilybraced, one rafter at a time connects each bent andties the timber frame structure to the stone wall.As each rafter is put into place, purlins areconnected in between to support the roof decking.Addit ional bracing prevents latera l rackingperpendicular to the walls. As the bents areassembled in the forest-facing guest rooms, floorjoists and bracing are connected into each column.Each column, beam, rafter, knee brace, joist andpurlin must be crafted with uncompromisingworkmanship for the structure to be sound.

“A stones’ innate beauty should figure in any house buildingeffort, but its functional nature as a supporting and enduringcomponent in a wall are of primary importance.”(Schwenke 1975:18)

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Exposed MembersA modern day light frame building hides allstructural members typically inside the wall itself.Walls are covered with gypsum board or plasterwith structural walls looking no different from theothers. The homogeneity of these blank wallssupporting the roof and floors say nothing of thestructural nature of these elements. In contrast,the bearing conditions of a timber frame arecompletely revealed. The strength, stability, andcraftsmanship are exposed. The details of joineryadorn the space, and the dance of columns andbeams hardly goes unnoticed. The dovetails,mort i se -and- tenon, and beve led shoulderconnections “are practically the definition of theproduct. Without the joinery there is a structuremade with posts and beams, but it is not a timberframe.” (Benson 1997:41). By exposing the woodin a very special and unique way this allows one tocelebrate the construction of wood. This honestyin construction is the value in a timber framestructure.

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A

B

D

E

F

An isometric drawing of the living room shows allthe pieces of the timberframe structure. Asegment of the stone wall is shown that holds thefireplace for this two storey space. The followingpages show details of the connections and layersof the framework.

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Roof

Second Floor

First Floor

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Rafter to Beam - c

Exterior Bracing - b

Beam to Post - a

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Floor Joist to Post

Interior Bracing - d

Purlin to Rafter - e

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In this drawing of the interior living space and coveredexterior porch, the relationship between thecolumn and the wall is shown. The timber columns areplaced at least 3 feet from the exterior wall, allowing thevisitor to walk around the column and experience itspresence in the room.

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A section drawing through the proprietors quarters andthe living room illustrate the differences in constructionmethods. The private proprietors area is framed using 2x4light framed walls that are separated from the timber framedliving room by the massive stone walls.

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“As the earth turns toward late afternoon, something special takes place.The room fills with light until it can hold no more, and in this fullness istransfigured. For this moment and a short while longer, there seems tobe more than wood and plaster, line and plane. There is harmony,radiance, and a bittersweet glimpse of something like grace. It happensthis way every day as the room turns toward the light. It has happenedthis way for some fifty thousand days since this room was new in 1831.”

Linda Butler on a room in the Hancock Shaker Village

Light

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Light as a MaterialEach day that the sun shines, materials of abuilding are brought to life. As the day passes, thesun’s rays move across materials with delight.Wood glows as the grain is revealed, the coursingin stonework is enhanced by the shadows in themortar. This wonder of time can change a roomwith the beauty of shadows and the transfer ofcolor. In Claude Monet’s series entitled Grainstackseasonal changes of light were recorded. Monet’spaintings reveal color, shadow, and reflected lightat different times of the day and season. Throughthis study the form remains constant as the lightchanges. In architecture as in nature, it is thematerials that record the changes of light. Thefloors, walls, and ceilings become the canvas andlight is the paint.

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Sun’s Energy and ShadingThe sun’s energy gives the stone walls the ability tostore light as thermal energy. The walls can retaintemperatures they have been exposed to for longperiods of time. For example, cooler eveningtemperatures will extend over part of the heat of asummer day; and the warmth of the late afternoonis carried over into the cool early evening air. Theresult of this process is to even out the extremes.In this project the west facing stone walls willutilize this process directing the energy toward themain living areas. Other stone surfaces will affecta guest room on the second floor and a sittingroom for the proprietors. The aforementionedsurfaces will get direct sunlight in the morning andevening.

The overhangs of the building provide shade forthe porches and the interior rooms. In the summermonths during the hottest part of the day, theoverhangs will shade windows on the southelevation, keeping guest rooms cool. The exteriorporches will have shade most of the day until thesun goes down bringing in the beautiful colors ofthe sunset. During the winter when the sun is lowerin the sky the sun will shine into guest rooms onthe south elevation bringing light into the coveredporch areas.

Summer

Winter

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North Elevation- Entrance

64

East Elevation- Forest View

65

South Elevation - Guest Rooms

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West Elevation - River View

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69

Conclusion

“We often think that when we have completed ourstudy of one we know all about two, because ‘two’is ‘one and one’. We forget that we have still tomake a study of ‘and’.

A.S. Eddington

Using the above quote as reference, this thesis studyhas been a study of ‘one’. Many more years ofstudy have yet to discover the meaning of ‘and’.

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Light- Page 60

41. Meeting House Fence: Linda Butler, Inner Light, pg 742. Author43. Main Interior Staircase, Pacific Palisades Residence: American House Now, pg 2244. Gallery House: Chassay and Wilson, The New Moderns, pg 16945. Center For Integrated Systems, Stanford University: Antoine Predock, Antoine Predock: Architect 2, pg 16146. Author47. Seadrift Lagoon House: Stanley Saitowitz, American House Now, pg 19948. Peg Shadows:Linda Butler, Inner light, pg 50

41 42

43 44

45 46

47 48

Structure - Page 50

33. Detail: John Fitchen, The New World Dutch Barn pg 16834. Author35. Author36. Author37. Author38. Guest House: Theresa Morrow, James Cutler, pg 6339. Author40. Detail: David Larkin, The Essential Book of Barns, pg 15

33 34

35 36

37 38

39 40

Material - Page 42

25. Dwelling House Attic: Linda Butler, Inner Light, pg 1226. St. Andrews Course: Patricia Sellar, RTKL : Selected and Current Works, pg 11627. Author28. Colum Base: Klaus Zwerger: Wood and Wood Joints, pg 2329. Author30. Large Chisel Called a Slick: David Larkin, The Essential Book of Barns, pg 2931. Exterior siding: Oscar Riera,The new American house, pg 18132. Stone Floor: Linda Butler, Inner Light, pg 44

25 26

27 28

29 30

31 32

Order - Page 30

17. Spiral Stairs II: Linda Butler, Inner Light, pg 5118. White residence, Pinnacle, AZ: Antoine Predock, American House Now, pg 11619. Hallway: Vincent James, Type/Variant House, pg 6420. Ministry Shop Hallway:Linda Butler, Inner Light, pg 321. Round Barn Interior:Linda Butler, Inner Light, pg 4922. Autho23. Mesa Public Library: Antoine Predock, Antoine Predock: Architect 2, pg 5124. Author

17 18

19 20

21 22

23 24

9 10

11 12

13 14

15 16

Site - Page 12

9. Old Dean Place: R.G. Wood, Virginia Library Archive, 193710. The Homestead, website11. Author12. Poor Farm House: R.G. Wood, Virginia Library Archive, 193613. John L.Landes Home: R.G. Wood, Virgina Library Archive, 193714. Author15. Author16. W.J.Chestnut Home: R.G. Wood, Virginia Library Archive, 1937

Nature- Page 8

1. Alex Organsky2. ‘Leaves’ :Ansel Adams, An Ansel Adams Guide , pg 3213. Charlotte Organsky4. ‘Aspens’ :Ansel Adams, An Ansel Adams Guide , pg 2755. Charlotte Organsky6. John Organsky7. John Organsky8. Alex Organsky

1 2

3 4

5 6

7 8

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6465

66

67

68

69

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Page 48-49

63. Barn and Stone Wall: David Larkin, The Essential Book of Barns, pg9562. Author65. Interior: Ted Benson, Timberframe, pg 3766. Raising: David Larkin, The Essential Book of Barns, pg 2467. Spiral Stair: Linda Butler, Inner Light, pg 168. Interior: Herbert Ypma, American Countr y, pg 2569. Built-in Cabinets: Linda Butler, Inner Light, Pg 1270. Interior: Vincent James, Type/Variant House, pg 68

71

Credits

NotesPg 9. Cerver, F.A.: Rustic and Country Houses, IntroductionPg 13 . Knevitt, Charles: Poem in Connections, pg 37-38Pg 21. Ellis, Tom: Source UnknownPg 31. Garant, Carl: Tao of Design, pg cxliiiPg.43. Calvino, Italo: Invisible Cities, pg 82Pg 51. Hughes, Dean: Source UnknownPg 61. Butler, Linda: Inner Light, IntroductionPg. 73. Raskin, Eugene: Architecturally Speaking, pg 86

Pg 16-17. USGA Map

Pg 23. USGA Map

60

57

58

5961

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Page 14-15

57. The Homestead Resort: Website58. Author59. Author60. Unknown61. Author62. Unknown

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

Page 10-11

49. Interior Camp 5 Point: Alex Organsky50. Construction Camp 5 Point: Unknown51. Forefathers Camp 5 Point: Unknown52. Exterior Camp 5 Point: John Organsky53. Alex Organsky54. Author55. Charlotte Organsky56. Charlotte Organsky

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Page62

71. ‘Sunset Snow Effect’, Claude Monet: Paul Tucker, Monet in the 90’s, pg 8472. ‘Sunset’, Claude Monet: Paul Tucker, Monet in the 90’s, pg 3173. Unknown

Unless otherwise noted, photosand work are by the author.

Pg 53. Interior: Ted Benson, Timberframe, pg 54

Arthur, Eric RossThe Barn; A Vanishing Landmark in NorthGreenwich, CT: New York Graphic Society, 1972

Barnes, ChristineGreat Lodges of the WestBend, OR: W.W. West, Inc., 1997

Benson, TedThe Timber-Framed HomeTaunton Press, Inc., 1997

Benson, Ted.Timberframe .Taunton Press, Inc., 1999

Blaser, WernerWood HousesBasel, NY: Wepf, 1980

Brookes, JohnA Place in the Countr yNew York, NY: Thames and Hudson, 1984

Butler, LindaInner Light : The Shaker LegacyNew York, NY: Knopf, 1985

Bye, A. E.Art Into Landscape, Landscape Into ArtMesa, AZ: PDA Publishers Corp.,1983

Cerver, F.A.Rustic and Country HousesWatson-Guptil Pub, 1997

Chermayeff, SergeCommunity and Privacy;Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1965

Cohen, StanThe Homestead and Warm Springs ValleyWV: Pictorial Histories Pub. Co., 1984

Cole, WilliamA Book of Nature PoemsNew York, NY: Viking Press, 1969

Calvino, ItlaoInvisible CitiesFL: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Pub, 1974

Dal Co, FrancescoVilla Ottolenghi : Carlo ScarpaNew York, NY: Monacelli Press, 1998

Doubilet, Susan and Boles, DaraliceAmerican House NowUniverse Publishers, 1997

Emerson, Ralph WaldoThe Essays of Ralph Waldo EmersonCambridge, MA: Belknap Press, 1987

Fitchen, JohnThe New World Dutch BarnSyracuse, N.Y: Syracuse University Press, 1968

Frome, KeithHitch Your Wagon To A StarNew York, NY: Columbia University Press, 1996

Garant, Carl G.The Tao of DesignAtlanta, GA: Humanics Ltd., 1998

Glancey, JonathanThe New ModernsNew York, NY: Crown, 1990

Greene, HerbMind & Image : An Essay On Art & ArchitectureLexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 1976

Ingalls, FayThe Valley RoadCleveland, OH.: World Pub. Co., 1949

James, VincentType/Variant HouseRockport Publishers, 1999

Jensen, JensSiftingsBaltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 1990

Klamkin, CharlesBarns; Their Histor y, Preservation, and RestorationNew York, NY: Hawthorn Books, 1973

Knevitt, CharlesConnections : The Architecture of Richard EnglandLondon: Lund Humphries, 1984

Larkin, DavidThe Essential Book of BarnsNew York, NY. : Universe Pub., 1995

Larkin, DavidThe Essential Book of Rural AmericaNew York, NY: Universe, 1996

Lyndon, Donlyn and Moore, CharlesChambers for a Memory PalaceChicago, IL: MIT, 1997

Mc Raven, CharlesStonework, Techniques and ProjectsVermont: Storey Books Pownal, 1997

Millet, MariettaLight Revealing ArchitectureNew York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1996

Moore, CharlesThe Place of HousesNew York, NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1974

Moore, Ruble, YudellMoore Ruble Yudell : Houses & HousingWashington, D.C.: AIA Press, 1994

Morrow, Theresa.James CutlerRockport, MA: Rockport Pub., 1997

72

Plummer, HenryLight in Japanese ArchitectureTokyo: E ando Yu, 1995

Predock, AntoineAntoine Predock, Architect 2New York, NY: Rizzoli, 1998

Raskin, EugeneArchitecturally SpeakingNew York, NY: Bloch Publishing Co., 1966

Riera, OscarThe New American HouseNew York, NY: Whitney Library of Design, 1995

Schwenke, Karl and SueBuild Your Own Stone HouseCharlotte, VT: Garden Way Pub., 1975

Schaefer, John P.An Ansel Adams GuideLittle Brown & Co., 1999

Strand, JanannA Green & Greene GuidePasadena, CA: G. Dahlstrom, 1974

Thoreau, Henry DavidWaldenBook-of-the-Month Club, 1996

Tucker, Paul HayesMonet in the ’90sNew Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1989

Visser, Thomas DurantField Guide to New England Barns and Farm BuildingsHanover, N.H: Univ. Press of New England, 1997

Vivian, JohnBuilding Stone WallsCharlotte, VT: Garden Way Pub., 1976

Ypma, HerbertAmerican CountryNew York, NY: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1997

Zumthor, PeterThinking ArchitectureLars Muller Publishers, 1998

Zwerger, KlausWood and Wood JointsBasel,Boston: Birkhauser, 1997

73

Bibliography

74

AcknowledgmentsI would l i ke to thank the fo l lowing peop le forwithout their support and encouragement none of thiswould have been possible.

To my committee: Bill, Mike, and Warren - Thank youfor your continual crit icism, guidance, and patiencethroughout this thesis journey. Thank you for your partin developing my architectural abilities and passion.

Bill Galloway: Thank you for all your help and for beingthere for my defense on such short notice.

Mom, Dad, and family: Thank you for all your love,support, and helping me to fulfill my goals and dreams.

Clint: Thank you for your love, patience, and confidencethat the ‘end’ would come even when I wasn’t certain itwould.

The 3+ group and other friends: Thank you for all thesupport and discussions about my work. Thank you foryour faith and confidence which gave me the courage anddetermination to wrap things up. Thank you for puttingup for my need for great amounts of desk space.

Irene: Thank you for all your insight on architecture,presentation, and editing skills, as well as our endlessdiscussions about life.

Barrow: Thank you for you help in the woodshop andfor the use of your printer, without which this bookwould not have been printed.

Claudia: Thank you for all the times ‘puppy camp’ was insession. ‘We’ will both miss it.

75

Vita

Jennifer Ann OrganskyBorn February 3, 1972

Norristown, PA

Graduate EducationMaster of Architecture

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2001

Study AbroadVirginia Tech

Center for European Studies and Architecture, 1996

Undergraduate EducationBachelor of Science in Interior Design

Drexel University, Nesbitt College of Design Arts, 1994