aArchitect Robert Gaskill built the house in a more traditional way, moving the earth until he was left with a flat piece of land on which to base his foundation.
But when there is an opportunity to preserve natural land, he takes advantage of it, working within the contours and boundaries of the site so that the house is shaped to fit the site.
“I have always viewed challenges as catalysts for creativity,” says Gaskill. “I think the best design approach is to let the elements influence what you want the home to be.”
That's exactly what he's done in the 4,000-square-foot modern preserve he built on a former ranch in Sewickley. And that's what surprised the judges at this year's Best of Design contest. They awarded Gaskill's work in his two categories: “Best New Home” and “Best New Kitchen.”
I love how this home blends so well with the landscape,” said judge Crystal DeCastro Knapik, senior project designer at Vocon. “Because it's on a hillside, when you look at the house from the front it looks like a one-story house, but when you look at the back of the house, it's almost three stories tall.''
This is Gaskill's second win in the Best New Home category. He won in 2020 for the modern, leafy home he built for his family in Butler County. Coincidentally, thanks to pandemic-related delays, design work on both structures took place simultaneously and over several years.
Despite the extended schedule, the owner of this year's winning design, who wishes to remain anonymous, could not have been happier with the results. They hail from a rural town in upstate New York that embraces nature and tranquility, and they were eager to recreate that atmosphere in the Pittsburgh suburbs.
Gaskill's design delivered everything they wanted.
“When executed properly, design can have very powerful effects,” says Gaskill.
Even a quick look at this home by car gives a hint of the tranquility that resides within. The building is set back from the road on his secluded six acres of rolling hills and trees, and its design began with an unusual inspiration: a concrete retaining wall that runs through the entire property. . It was necessary to maintain the general topography and the ideal basis for the black and gray exterior motif.
Built directly into the hillside, from the front, the house is clad in concrete, black metal, and siding with Sho cedar planks, a wood treated and preserved through traditional Japanese firing methods. , it looks like a square, one-story building. It has a black metal roof on top.
A view from behind proves the deception of the front. Multiple black-framed windows soar from ground to roof level across his two floors, stretching 50 feet across, letting in plenty of sunlight and offering expansive views of the tree-lined property outside. It is offered to those who view it.
But it's inside where Gaskill's architectural genius truly shines.
The client's previous home in Mount Lebanon had a traditional Pittsburgh floor plan with compartmentalized rooms and low ceilings, creating an airy interior with a monochromatic, minimalist aesthetic and natural materials. , was at the top of my wish list for new construction. House.
The main floor living space is completely open with floor-to-ceiling windows on either side, strategically placed at eye level with the tree canopy. White oak wide-plank floors and tobacco-stained wood ceilings run throughout the space, with individual rooms separated only by clever design features such as lighting, furniture, and staircases.
“I love how the interior and exterior blend together,” says Katie Savakis, project designer at Vocon in Cleveland. She said: “I think often when you walk into a home, you can't imagine what's inside from what it looks like on the outside. This is all really seamless and consistent.”
According to the judges (and the homeowners), this kitchen is a masterpiece anchored by a sculptural, statement-making concrete island. The island, along with a concrete backsplash, recalls a retaining wall, creating unity between interior and exterior. Her sleek JennAir appliance and patina oil finish metal stove hood maintain a modern aesthetic without overwhelming the flat-front cabinetry.
The adjoining dining room is large enough for a table that seats eight and features the home's primary light fixture: a strip of white made from malleable LED strips wrapped around a metal frame. Proud of the light. Gaskill says it's subtle enough to almost disappear during the day, but “provocative” enough to be a conversation starter and eye candy when turned on at night.
Two steps down from the dining room is a sunken great room that features one of the home's many specific features: a wall that houses the TV and a built-in fireplace, decorated in soft gray. It stands opposite a sectional sofa and a marble coffee table.
An expansive pantry, main suite, guest suite, bunk room, and mudroom complete the home's main floor. The bottom floor has another guest room, gym, open office and full bathroom. The interior is heated entirely by radiant heat and partially cooled by expanses of windows that open in the direction of prevailing winds.
If all these features weren't enough, Gaskill ensured homeowners didn't have to take another vacation by adding a gorgeous outdoor space outside of the great room. This is one of the homeowners' favorite areas, complete with a built-in grill, four oversized chairs, a fire pit, pizza oven, and (wait for it) a four-season plunge pool.
“Apparently they traveled a lot,” Gaskill says with a laugh. “They travel a lot less now.”
Read more Winner of the Best of Design Award.
vendor
Architect/Interior Design: gaskill architecture
General contractor: RA Cress Builder LLC
On-site contractor: Excavation of WM Aiken and Son
Electrician: nelmark electric
Plumber: WE Mertz Plumbing LLC
Air conditioning equipment: Bolster Dehart Co., Ltd.
Sepsis: Ron Moretti
Cabinet/Hardware: Hollow Creek Kitchens
Glass: Rex Glass & Mirror
tile: Mushinsky Tile LLC
Concrete countertop: Hoadley Artisan Surface
good: Meinert well drilling
Shosugiban siding: pioneer mill works
Blinds/shades: Caldwell's Windowware, Inc.
Metal processing: Joe Ehrenberger
Pool: Aquapool Co., Ltd.
Home appliances: Don's home appliances
Windows and doors: anderson
Art/Sculpture: Seth Clark
Landscaping: Gargiulo landscape
Flooring: neil thompson
