One of our modern pals, Gary, sent me the above photo earlier this summer. Looking closely you'll see what appears as a mirage of a modern home under construction across the pastoral fields of his home in Riceville. The photo perched on my desktop tugged at me until Kelly and I found ourselves visiting one recent Saturday.
The construction did not just spontaneously appear one day, but has been carefully hand crafted and detailed by modern day pioneers, John and Carla. The couple moved to the states having graduated from Oxford University in England. Following, they spent two years in a motor home traveling the plains of the U.S. scouting a friendly place to call home. Their tour took them through Asheville. Ultimately, they were unable to escape nestling within the safety of our ancient mountains. They found a lot tucked into a hillside in Riceville among new suburban, craftsmen homes. Seeing the view behind the trees they quickly carved out a building site and mountain views for their contextually simple and utilitarian, shed style home.
Initially, they worked with
Myles Alexander of
Form and Function to help pull together the overall vision of the home. The over 1700 sqft box contains only two bedrooms including a cozy and efficient master suite for them and guest quarters. The remaining is clean open living space. Both sides have retracting doors for the ultimate in indoor/outdoor living.
Neither had ever built before, but driven by a budget and the homesteading spirit they have hand constructed everything up from the foundation slab. It began with the 2x6 walls with staggered 24” opening to allow for the maximum in insulation all the way up to the
HydroStop roofing. They scouted out local resources for custom details such as the steel columns off the back.
Once they complete the house their homesteading compound will include tiered growing gardens out back neighbored by a chicken coup. They, also, have a spot carved out for two shipping containers to house extra storage and bunking guests.
Ultimately, their vision includes sharing what they have learned with other interested hands-on folks {Ashevillians at their core} and spread their modern-day pioneering philosophy. Their belief is that modernism should be accessible and affordable to everyone. Kelly and I are all too happy to clear a path for them. Cheers to John and Carla!
Troy