Back in 2014, the husband and wife team of Jacob and Melissa Brillhart challenged the idea of what a single family house could be by answering four questions (What is necessary? How can impact on the earth be minimized? How to best respect the neighborhood? and What can we actually build), brilliantly.
The result, pictured here, speaks for itself. And it comes as no surprise that this award-winning design pays homage to principles from the American glass pavilion, Florida Vernacular and Tropical Modernism.
Jacob Brillhart earned his BA in Architecture at Tulane University and his Masters of Architecture from Columbia University. Melissa Brillhart earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia and her Masters of Architecture from the University of Miami. Together they run Brillhart Architecture, a design based firm that’s deeply focused on the landscape and Florida vernacular architecture.
The front porch with louvered doors, the most distinctive feature, functions as a true outdoor room and provides privacy, protection against the elements and catches the southeast trade winds. With four sets of doors the house can be completely open to nature.
The floor plan is an updated version of the Dog Trot style house with sleeping quarters on the left, a central ‘breezeway’ corridor and living space on the right. Plans have been developed for the addition of a master bedroom suite, family room and pool.
The house is constructed of steel, glass, and wood with concrete used only on the 3 footings. Adding warmth and richness a variety of woods are used throughout, Ipe on the exterior walls and columns, red cedar for the louvered doors, reclaimed cherry for the doors and cabinets, oak for the interior flooring and red cypress for the exterior flooring. All sides of the house have either rigid insulation or thick glass providing a highly efficient, insulated interior.
And now that it just been listed for sale, this award-winning home in Florida could be yours. Click here for more information.
Image Credits: Claudia Uribe.