Bent Tree

For this home on Town Mountain, we were initially contacted by the homeowners to assess a lot they were considering buying. The lot had changed hands a number of times over the past 20 years and it was apparent the previous owners bought the lot because of its fantastic views, but then decided to sell the lot once they understood how difficult (and expensive) it would be to build on it. The future homeowner asked if we could review the lot and assess its buildability.

After an initial study, we concluded that we could indeed build an affordable home on the lot, but it would require a variance from the city. As both architect and builder,  Assembly was able to produce the drawings necessary to obtain a city variance to move the house slightly closer to the street which enabled us to excavate a modest stepped foundation with large winged retaining walls.

To increase square footage we cantilevered the upper floor over the back of the modest foundation, creating additional living space that captured more of the view. In the end, we collaborated with the city, consultants, and a team of engineers to design and build a 3000 SF modern cabin with panoramic views of the surrounding Asheville area.

The final design challenge – come up with a bear proof mailbox and trashcan to prevent the feisty bears from wreaking havoc!