Located on a seam between single family residential homes and industrial zoning, the site for the LightWeight House is atypical for the Ozarks: flat, few trees, and no real view. As a result, the house turns inward, creating a central courtyard. All of the main spaces in the house face into the courtyard to take advantage of the internal view. The carport and gym have retractable screens that enclose them when needed, but can be stowed when entertaining or exercising, then becoming pavilions and natural extension of the courtyard. The material palette is kept deliberately simple, reflecting the massing and organizational strategy: a concrete floor, with thick walls containing all the services clad in rift cut white oak, and a simple white wrapper for the outside walls and roof – corrugated metal outside, and painted drywall and poplar slats inside.
CREDITS
Location: Bentonville, Arkansas
Project Team: Jonathan Boelkins, AIA, Laura Cochran, Assoc. AIA
Contractor: Stronghold