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Location : Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Project size: 5,600 square feet

Program: New York and Western Massachusetts–based studio Pachano & Vollert were commissioned to build a second home for a blended family of eight on a small, sloping, lakeside site in Berkshire County. Connection to nature was important to the couple, who are both retired lawyers. “They asked for a house that provides enough space for their six grown children when they visit, yet one that also feels intimate when they are alone,” says co-principal Pedro Pachano. “One that fuses areas for communing and solitude, and views of the landscape in each room.”

Design Solution: Restrictions related to envelope, lake conservation, and existing topography all informed placement on the wedge-shaped site. Pachano & Vollert designed the residence to blend into the wooded landscape, joining two simple volumes at a 10-degree angle (the point of intersection aligns with a large maple tree behind the house). In response to a steep drop in elevation from the street to the lake, the architects stretched the plan across three stepped levels. From the front, one volume is two stories and the other is a single story, while from the lake, one volume is two stories and the other is three.

The blackened wood exterior reduces the impression of scale on the small site. “The idea was for the house to disappear or camouflage its scale and appearance, almost like a shadow,” explains Pachano & Vollert co-principal Amparo Vollert. “From the lake, you hardly notice it is there. It’s discrete yet intriguing; textured and mysterious.”

Inside, programs are arranged by level: The main floor gathers common areas and the couple’s bedroom; the second floor features guest bedrooms; and the lowest level comprises a large secondary living room and art studio. Large window openings, a mezzanine, and skylights allow the day and night skies to penetrate deep into the living spaces.

Photo © Naho Kubota

Structure and Materials: Forest Lake House is assembled with traditional light frame construction on concrete frost walls. The architects followed passive house standards of high insulation, airtight construction, and fresh-air circulation to provide a healthy environment. Exterior wood fiberboard insulation is clad with black-stained Accoya wood. A light-colored, standing seam roof reflects sunlight and offers a contrast to the dark facades. Cedar posts, left unfinished to age with time, enclose an outdoor dining room.

Additional Information
Completion date : May 2021
Site size: 0.5 acres
Total construction cost: Withheld
Client/Owner: Withheld

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Photos © Naho Kubota

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Images courtesy Pachano & Vollert; click to enlarge