Project Summary

SITE: A large open site formerly used for farming.

PROGRAM: The owners wanted an environmentally-sensitive guest house to be enjoyed by their extended family and their young children. They were interested in a house that would fit within the site and community while simultaneously maximizing river views.

SOLUTION: A new construction of 21,000 Sq. ft., the Wye River Barn House is a 2-bedroom residence on the Wye River in Queenstown, MD. The strategic siting maximizes river views and was the end product of careful wind and sun studies. The design aims to establish a fluid, active and two-way conversation with the vernacular architectural tradition of the area. The contours of the barn evoke the vernacular architectural language of the rural area, but the side of the barn house next to the river consists of expansive windows, therefore creating a veritable “glass wall.”