Client. The client, a family of four with two young boys, approached ZED with a desire to build a high performance home on their tree-lined Belmont property. Having recently moved from California, they desired a home that would visually wow their friends and family, as well as support their active, social lifestyle. The family purchased a lot in Belmont with an existing 1970s-era ranch house and decided to retain the foundation, bringing added complexity in adapting the single-story home’s long, narrow, L-shaped foundation. 

Design. In keeping with the client’s vision for a California cool aesthetic, ZED created a contemporary, but also warm and inviting layout with lots of natural wood elements. The home is anchored by a connected living, dining, and kitchen area, along with a large media room in the basement for watching games and hosting social gatherings. The home also features an expansive outdoor area, complete with a deck, pool, jacuzzi, outdoor shower, and kitchen, all carefully arranged to feel like an extension of the house. To ensure the pool felt fully integrated it was positioned close to the house, with the entire outdoor space oriented south to capture warmth, even in Massachusetts' less accommodating weather.

Form. One of the design challenges was to expand the home’s square footage by adding a second story - all while maintaining a balanced and well-proportioned massing despite the dramatic slope of the site. Gray fiber cement wraps the basement and garage to visually anchor the structures, while the north elevation incorporates an exposed stone foundation. To minimize the structure’s perceived height, ZED broke the home into three distinct volumes using setbacks clad in black Shou Sugi Ban siding, including a recessed mudroom connection. A low-sloped shed roof further breaks up the mass and creates dynamic, sloped ceilings in the second-floor bedrooms, which intentionally “fore-shorten” the long interior spaces.

Landscape. The home’s property came with a healthy collection of diverse tree species throughout the dramatically sloped topography. ZED worked with landscape architect Inge Daniels to preserve as many of the native trees as possible, while also selecting new plantings that transition seamlessly from the tree edge to a meadow leading up to the front door. Large cascading front steps lead up the gentle slope, underlit at night to make them appear floating, creating a clear path through an otherwise expansive landscape. 

No Wrong Entries. While the main entry is visible from the driveway and conveyed by a large canopy, the home feels accessible and welcoming from all angles. On the north side of the home, neighbors who approach through the back yard are greeted by three entry options to the main living space, garage or powder room. The mudroom, accessible through the garage, features vaulted ceilings that provide a dramatic welcoming space that the family predominantly uses, feeling just as grand as the main entry. The main entrance even provides access to the backyard pool deck, a straight shot through the beautiful slat-walled entry hall. Not only are there multiple ways to enter and exit, there are many ways to move through the house - even the second story gym was designed with a stair and exit directly to the pool deck so one can take a refreshing dip right after a workout.

Indoor/Outdoor Fun. Exercise and athletics were important to the design, informing the addition of a XX SF gym complete with an indoor golf simulator as well as an outdoor sport court. The sport court was created as a lively space for the two children, complete with lighting for evening play. To minimize environmental impact, the court was built on an existing clearing, preserving the property’s trees.

Sunshine. As former Californians, the owners were well accustomed to basking in the sunshine. Their south-facing pool and patio capture ample sunlight throughout the day, with two retractable awnings designed to manage solar heat gain and provide shade for the outdoor living space when desired. To future-proof the design, ZED included extra footings beneath the deck, allowing for a future permanent pergola to replace the retractable awnings.

Energy. The all electric home features a super-insulated air-tight enclosure, triple-glazed windows, efficient cold climate heat pumps for heating and cooling, balanced mechanical ventilation with heat and energy recovery, plus a rooftop solar electric system to offset energy consumption. The sloped shed roof increases the south-facing roof area for solar panels and creates dynamic bedroom spaces.