Copeley/Fisher Residence

Location: Hillsborough, NC

Completed: 2004

Square footage: 3,763 (heated), 1,056 (exterior)

Our clients for this project are avid bird watchers, so they decided to move to the countryside and spend part of their workweek telecommuting. We walked the forty-acre site with them and together developed the criteria for our design decisions. We walked and talked some more, enjoying the property as we staked out the homesite, the approach to the home, and the walking trails.

It was extremely important to the owners that their house be well-suited to the site and to their lifestyle. We came up with an unpretentious exterior and cozy interiors that provided a variety of ceiling heights, ample natural light, and panoramic views.

The owner suite and two home offices are located on the second floor. Two balconies provide good places for work, contemplation, and bird watching. A framed area for a future elevator ensures full accessibility to the second level.

Significant green features:

• House form elongated on the east-west axis
• Main living spaces located on the south side for light and warmth
• Large windows on the south side, shaded in the summer
• Two home offices for telecommuting
• Geothermal heating and cooling