Prospect House, 2022
Description —
This home is located within the town of Kentville in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. Kentville serves as the professional centre for the region and the surrounding landscape consists of some of the most fertile farmland in North America and is in the heart of Nova Scotia’s apple industry.
The name Prospect House is three-fold. Located on Prospect Avenue, prospect and refuge are balanced within the plan as the bedroom hunkers into the site while the living spaces reach out to the view of the surrounding town. And lastly, the modesty of the dwelling allows the occupants to live well within reasonable means—an almost impossible undertaking in today’s real estate market.
The house occupies what was once considered the neighbourhood garbage dump full of construction debris, tires, and abandoned furniture. In addition, the community’s underground storm sewer pipe and associated easement bisect the property in two leaving only a sliver of developable land. The site bridges between two steeply sloped streets and picks up over forty feet in vertical grade across its length. The retaining wall, built on the site many years ago from boulders serves as an outdoor promontory providing the only flat outdoor space.
The house occupies what was once considered the neighbourhood garbage dump full of construction debris, tires, and abandoned furniture. In addition, the community’s underground storm sewer pipe and associated easement bisect the property in two leaving only a sliver of developable land. The site bridges between two steeply sloped streets and picks up over forty feet in vertical grade across its length. The retaining wall, built on the site many years ago from boulders serves as an outdoor promontory providing the only flat outdoor space.
Built during the pandemic the project had to cope with ever evolving shortages of basic construction materials. The affordability was only possible by working with availability and a close working relationship between builder, architect, and structural engineer. As supply chain issues impacted the world, the original materials had to be switched for what was available. The locally sourced vertical hemlock boards negotiate the complex grade surrounding the property.
The project explores living well within a reduced footprint and budget. It makes use of the existing attributes of the site while negotiating the limitations of both the property and market factors. Reaching out to the town of Kentville the home celebrates the awkward shape of the site. It allows the occupants to be both part of the town and street while serving as a sanctuary up amongst the trees.
