This house in Cedar Mountain, NC is situated on a rock bald, the second highest point of 100 spectacular acres abutting DuPont State Forest.  Because solid rock cannot be graded to effect water drainage, most of the house is elevated on columns so that rainwater follows the same path it has taken for eons.  The house is linear with an abundance of glass to take advantage of a nearby ridge view.  The geology and natural landscape that was "given" and is preserved informed the siting and planning.

 With the exception of the foyer and porches, the entire house has 8 foot high flat ceilings. All window go to the ceiling.  All doors in the house are 8 feet tall with no head frame nor trim.  With windows and doors topping out at ceiling height a pleasantly unexpected human-scaled spaciousness is created.

1987; Castle Hayne, NC

Designing a house for one’s own family is an opportunity and a privilege, and affords an architect a chance to experiment spatially, aesthetically, materially, and affordably ($49/sf).  So far, “The Winged Genius” (nicknamed by an architectural colleague), is my one attempt at doing this.   

In spite of its relatively small area, “The Winged Genius” lives large. End to end, it is nearly 100’ long.  On account of the open planning, one can see from end to end.

A “primitive” structure  for Green River Adventures to contain “rubber duckies” (boats) and kayaks, and to be as a social gathering spot/shelter (broad steps act as “bleachers”) at a destination point along the Green River.

"Belonging Place" (Fay Walker house) is situated on a lake, here in Transylvania County.  This house is planned as a place to extend hospitality, which it successfully achieves!  The aesthetic is deliberately casual and camp-like.  Except for wood that is walked on or that is handled (cabinets), none of the wood inside the house has an applied finish.

Creation of the Polmanteer “compound” on Hilt Street near downtown Brevard, NC started with a 1930 house which was in poor condition. The house was gutted and radically re-planned. Because the house is offset on its lot there was ample space to add a Screened Porch, Carport, Studio and detached Workshop building.  These additional structures are placed to create an intimate garden space. The Living/Dining, Screened Porch, Studio and its Porch, and Workshop porch focus on this garden space.

(final 3 black & white photos are “before”)

Photography by Bill Byers

A carport/storage/laundry/mudroom/family room/master bedroom addition to a 1930 house that sits at the “T” of Island Ford Road and Hwy 276 in the Dunns Rock Community of Transylvania County.

(last 3 photos are "before")

Multi-use building at Rockbrook Camp for Girls near Brevard, NC.  The building serves as the Rockbrook Camp administrative offices, staff lounge, and has four camp-style bunk rooms.

These 2008 addition/improvements to the Sykes Faculty Housing Unit (original building circa 1970) at Brevard Music Center include ADA compliant amenities for accessibility (ramp, steps, proper handrails) and a screened porch with kitchenette.

Bath 1 is the first of three bathrooms that will be renovated in this 1979 house.

Constructed during the summer of 1994, this footbridge is the pedestian access from Robinson Avenue to Brevard College. The structure reuses two steel beams from a previous footbridge in this location.

A modest 4-bedroom beach dwelling on Bald Head Island, NC. This is the first home I designed that actually got built.

(1984; as project architect/designer with John Sawyer Architects; Wilmington, NC . . . now Sawyer Sherwood & Associate)

This bathhouse was a capital improvement project for United Methodist Camp Don-Lee (now Don Lee Camp and Retreat Center).  Don-Lee is situated along the Neuse River in Arapahoe, NC.  The hot, humid, summers demanded a well-ventilated building.  Ample daylight provides an outdoor/open-air feeling in the space, reminiscent of Don-Lee’s open-to-the-sky showers in use prior to this bathhouse.

(1990; as project architect/designer with John Sawyer Architects; Wilmington, NC . . . now Sawyer Sherwood & Associate)

Set far off Shandy Lane near Wrightsville Sound, NC, the original part of Shandy Hall was built in 1880.  The addition attaches off the “right” end of the house.  With its multi-zoned “Gathering Room,” Screened Porch and Deck, the addition enhances family and entertaining activities.  Because a later porch addition was demolished to make way for this addition, the interior of this new space intentionally has a sense of being a porch.  Truncating the corner of the Gathering Room allowed the planning to yield to an enormous live oak. Ironically, Hurricane Fran toppled the live oak, demolishing the addition.  The owners had the addition rebuilt exactly as originally designed.

(1989; as project architect/designer with John Sawyer Architects; Wilmington, NC . . . now Sawyer Sherwood & Associate)

This 1-bedroom dwelling above a 2-car garage on Pigfish Lane near Wilmington, NC was constructed for the owners to occupy prior to their larger home being built on the adjacent lot.

(1989; as project architect/designer with John Sawyer Architects; Wilmington, NC . . . now Sawyer Sherwood & Associate)

2020; Brevard, NC. Home for a retiring Atlanta couple. The home is secluded on about 7 acres.

(photos are during construction; finished photos pending)

1994: Brevard, NC. This home was designed for a gregarious + charismatic + fun-loving + community-minded batchelor who owned of a historic summer girls’ camp in Transylvania County. He became happily married a few years after the house was completed. The architect turned 40 years old during the time this place was under construction.

1998; Pisgah Forest, NC. Designed for a couple retiring to the area to be nearer their son and family. This couple quickly became civically involved. There’s more to this house than photos belie, including a large woodworking shop on the lower level. This video shows it well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbStW0n1-0Y