Guest House

Raleigh, NC

Completed 2023

Square Footage: 360

Contractor: Armature Design + Build, Raleigh, NC

The Barrie GuestHouse is an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) located in an historic neighborhoodclose to downtown Raleigh. It comprises a 300 sq. ft living space and a 60 sq.ft. garden storage area. The living area includes a kitchen, full bath, livingroom and sleeping loft. A porch overlooks the backyard garden. The all-electrichouse is heated and cooled by a small heat pump; hot water is supplied by anon-demand unit. The house and openings are oriented to minimize solar heat andmaximize passive cooling. Exterior materials include an exposed concrete blockfoundation, low-maintenance cementitious panels, and a galvalume standing-seamroof. Interior finishes are an exposed slab-on-grade, painted plywood anddrywall, clear-finished casework and shelves, tile, and aluminum baseboard andstair treads. Landscaping that includes mature trees, shrubs and native plantsbrings the outdoors in, and adds beauty and ecosystem services.

The scale andsiting of the house dignify the small unit and integrate it with the main houseand gardens. It is square footage poor and spatially rich with carefully-sizedspaces interlocked through geometry and proportion. The tri-level of living,storage, and loft create a sleeping area that is both sequestered andexpansive. Color and surface expand space and passage. It glows with earlymorning light, and subdued northern light during the day brings out the colorsof the walls and artwork. A stone path provides an entry sequence throughgardens; a patio creates a shared space between houses.

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