Project Name: Steeplechase House

Location: Hillsborough, North Carolina, United States

Design Team: Brooks + Scarpa

Total Floor Area: 2,573 ft² (approx. 239 m²)

Completion: 2024

Photography: Mark Herboth

Feature:

Project - Located on a wooded 65-acre site in the Appalachian foothills near the Eno River around Raleigh Durham, North Carolina, Steeplechase House designed by Brooks + Scarpa is more than just a residence, it is a pavilion of reflection and repose, an architectural manifesto that connects to the expansive natural setting amongst the trees. Directly inspired by the lifelong dream of a famed film director and artistic spouse who, after decades of success in the Hollywood limelight, decided to pursue a more tranquil lifestyle reminiscent of their upbringing around Montreal, Canada, the house translates their profound need for connection to nature and environmental stewardship into revolutionary spatial organization.

The most striking element of the project is the two soaring gable volumes rising to 31 feet high, featuring expansive glazing that allows nature to visually connect to the interior space. This architectural gesture not only pays homage to traditional regional gable roof forms but also creates visual depth and spatial hierarchy, as if the entire house engages in dialogue with the forest through the changing seasons. The reflective glass and black metal exterior give the building an ever-changing presence, receding into the forest's dappled light in summer and standing out like a beacon with occasional winter snow, while the natural plywood interior creates a protected and warm gathering place.

Within this central organization lies the residence's planning: the plan is organized around two open gabled volumes for the public and private zones of the house. The kitchen/dining area connects the two sides of the house with a transparent lower scaled gallery-like loggia with glass on both sides that feels like a walk in the forest when moving between the two volumes. This transitional space divides and connects the two distinct zones of the house while allowing a sense of spaciousness and escape.

The surrounding sustainability strategies contrast in functionality. The design preserves 98 percent of the site's natural landscape, with nearly 20 acres restored from invasive species to native flora including Eastern Redbud, Wild Bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Little Bluestem, and Milkweed. This ecological restoration has created vital habitat for endangered Monarch butterflies, Eastern Bluebirds, American Goldfinches, and Eastern Cottontails. The residence itself employs 100 percent recycled metal and FSC-certified wood products, achieving a predicted Energy Use Intensity of 25.52, nearly half the baseline requirement of 44.

Strategic passive design principles maximize the building's efficiency. Existing trees block direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day, minimizing cooling demands. Large windows and skylights maximize natural daylight and cross ventilation, reducing the need for artificial lighting. High-quality insulation and energy-efficient glazing further reduce energy usage. An Energy Star MrCOOL 22.5 SEER heat pump, Rheem ProTerra 65-gallon smart heat pump water heater with a 3.85 Uniform Energy Factor rating, and Philips Ultra Efficient LED lighting consuming 50 percent less energy than standard equivalents with efficacy up to 210 lumens per watt demonstrate a comprehensive approach to resource conservation. Low-flow fixtures achieve water savings of approximately 38 percent above average.

Steeplechase House thus becomes an architectural expression that transcends traditional building boundaries. It tells a story, establishing a sensitive dialogue between the clients' lifestyle, innovative sustainable solutions, and the surrounding Appalachian environment. An adaptable yet poetic space resting in the North Carolina countryside—a silent homage to the art of weaving together living, nature, and the built environment.

Design Team - Brooks + Scarpa, established in 1991 as Pugh + Scarpa and rebranded in 2010, headquartered in the United States, has established itself as one of America's most distinguished design firms over three decades of professional excellence. Led by principal architects Angela Brooks, FAIA, Lawrence Scarpa, FAIA, and Jeffrey Huber, FAIA, the firm's professional practice is based on the belief that clients' direct participation in the design process results in more meaningful and thoughtful buildings, always seeking thoughtful architectural solutions for each project.

Fundamentals such as structural innovation as spatial catalyst, creative use of materials, and profound commitment to environmental stewardship are characteristics that permeate all the work. Allied to these concepts, the team's work takes sustainability best practices as a starting point, rethinking traditional architectural forms to answer with innovation contemporary problems in architecture.

The studio's design philosophy synthesizes three fundamental principles: seamless integration of engineering solutions with spatial experience, honest expression of sustainable materials and technologies, and strategic thinking of adaptability and passive survivability as core design drivers. These core tenets permeate every project type, from single-family homes to multi-family housing, affordable housing, commercial, institutional, educational, and governmental buildings.

Brooks + Scarpa's architectural approach draws profound inspiration from innovation and sustainability while simultaneously challenging conventional paradigms to address contemporary environmental challenges. The firm's commitment to design excellence has garnered international recognition, including the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award, the California and National American Institute of Architects Firm Award, the California Council Lifetime Achievement Award, and multiple AIA COTE Top Ten Green Building Awards. Ranked second overall among top architecture firms in the United States by Architect Magazine and 333rd globally by Design Intelligence, their projects exemplify a sophisticated balance between technical mastery, creativity, and environmental responsibility, establishing new benchmarks for contemporary sustainable architecture through rigorous cross-disciplinary research and digital technologies.