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Robert Young Architects has shared photos of a modern home they designed in Virginia, that’s surrounded by a forest and features a dark exterior.
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The multi-storey home was designed from the inside out, with the architects allowing the function of the house to determine its form.
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To capitalize on its wooded context, the architects perched most rooms above the forest floor, creating sightlines through the tree canopy.
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The home has solid walls that obscure neighbors while windows create different vantage points of the forest.
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A covered entryway welcomes visitors to the home.
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Inside the home, the living connects with an outdoor space furnished with a couch, expanding the entertaining areas.
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In the kitchen, the cabinets have been designed in such a way as to allow the tree views to be enjoyed.
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Wood and steel stairs with glass railings connect the various floors of the home.
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In one of the bedrooms, there’s floor to ceiling windows that provide an abundance of natural light.
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Views of the trees can also be seen from within the bathrooms, where the windows frame the forest as natural artwork.
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
Photography by Frank Oudemann | Design: Robert Young Architects | Principal-In-Charge: Robert Young, AIA | Project Architect: Ben Sandell | Project Team: Lucille Gairin, Coralie Gruit, Kenza Elhaimer, Paul Schwitter, Trey Hoffman | Interior Design: Patera Home | Structural Engineer: 1200 Architectural Engineers | Civil Engineer: Urban LTD | Energy Consultant: ZeroEnergy Designs | Geotechnical Engineer: Pons & Associates LLC | Lighting Consultant: Tillotson Design Associates | General Contractor: Added Dimensions Construction Inc. | Landscape Architect: Oat-Judge Landscape Architects
Source: Contemporist