Butterfly Ridge

This new house was designed to be a reflection of the owners' combined personalities, interests, and desires for sacredness of space and sanctuary in a home. The site is bisected by a north to south ridge of bedrock, with views of the central green mountains to the east. It is home to beautiful groves of trees and gardens, in addition to a barn. Our clients' programmatic requests were that the house be highly energy efficient, easy to maintain, and contextually and architecturally connected to the site.

The house is sited such that it merges into and emerges from the landscape, creating a sanctuary for personal life and work. The ridge of bedrock that made the site almost inaccessible became a way to create deep privacy through intentional design. A two-level three-winged structure with a simple and modern form, the house has hints of mid-century modern design while creating a rich connection to its surrounding landscape.

A stucco finish clads the home's exterior, with Douglas fir running trim inside and out. Natural daylighting and energy efficiency are prioritized by the use of large, highly efficient triple glazed windows and doors throughout. The generous indoor and outdoor spaces for welcoming family, friends, and guests, are oriented around the beautiful views of the verdant landscape in virtually every compass direction. 

The success and beauty of this project is a result of deep collaboration with our clients and general contractor Conner & Buck Builders of Bristol, Vermont.

In Our Clients' Words:

"The Cushman Design team has been a true pleasure to have leading our project. They are responsive to our suggestions, transforming our ideas into a stunning house design. Drawings arrive promptly. They respect budgets, while always striving to present us with a house that exceeds our expectations for beauty and function."