PROJECT Bumble Bee House

LOCATION  McHenry, Maryland US

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  5/1/2015

ARCHITECT Uekman Architects LLC

ASSOCIATED ARCHITECT  

OWNER/CLIENT Dennis Guard & Megan McGrath

CONTRACTOR / CONSTRUCTION MANAGER  Eggleston Construction

PHOTOGRAPHER  Michael Horan Photography

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM  Gregory Uekman

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT

Site:
A one-acre lot in a semi-rural suburb includes a 1000 sf house. A regional ski resort is located less than a mile from the site.

Context:
Having purchased the poorly-maintained house, the owners commissioned the architect to improve the building for use as a weekend house.

Program:
The owner's priority list included three new bedrooms, a second bath, a new kitchen, and space for ski storage. The design needed to accommodate a growing family and their guest for active weekends. Their construction budget was challenging.

Soution:
The architect found inspiration in the aging homesteads in Garrett County's rural landscape, noting the vanishing stock of old houses with small additions, "granny flats" and storage sheds accumulated over time. The Bumble Bee House seeks to create a controlled randomness, while incorporating traditional forms (shed roots, barn-red siding with industrial metal accents) in a modern context.

In response to the owner's budget, modest materials (IKEA furniture, Andersen windows, engineered wood flooring, Lowe's cabinets) were selected. The completed project is 1610 square feet.

MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project/Jury PDF

IMAGE CAPTIONS & CREDITS

IMAGE 1  Bumble Bee House View from lawn Michael Horan Photographer

IMAGE 2  Bumble Bee House View from lawn Michael Horan Photographer

IMAGE 3  Bumble Bee House Living Room Michael Horan Photographer

IMAGE 4  Bumble Bee House Bridge Michael Horan Photographer

IMAGE 5  Bumble Bee House From Bedroom above Michael Horan Photographer

IMAGE 6  Bumble Bee House View through Bedroom Michael Horan Photographer

IMAGE 7  Bumble Bee House Guest Bedroom Michael Horan Photographer

IMAGE 8  Bumble Bee House Porch + Entry + Storage Michael Horan Photographer