He calls it the “Cartesian House” for the mathematical theory that informed it: a system of coordinates for locating a point in space by its distance from each of three mutually perpendicular, intersecting planes. In architect Mark Allison’s precise diagrams, the axes are defined as Earth (x-axis), Sky (y-axis) and Relativity (z-axis).
Heady stuff, but you could just as easily apply the axes of Family Life, Natural Beauty and Aesthetic Sensibility to the home — perched on a precipitous slope off Town Mountain Road in Asheville — that Allison designed and now shares with his wife, Robin, and their pre-teen son Blake.
“The site dictated the form of the building and also the way it’s laid out. It’s linear and organized on this central service core — the ‘spine’ of the house,” explains Allison. “We wanted to do passive solar. As a result, the house is very long and responsive to the eastern views, and the south-facing clerestory rises up to capture the sun’s energy.”
Designed as a set of modules or “volumes” which include deck/entry, living and studio areas, the home’s rooflines and materials echo each space’s function: rock and cedar on the entry and living room, concrete and soaring ceilings with clerestory windows in the kitchen/dining and stairway area, which leads up to the studio and down to the lower level.
The service corridor — including the interior fireplace, kitchen, powder room and laundry — rests against a protective abutment and anchors the structure. “You’ve got southern light, eastern views and north-northwest winds, so when you open the doors and windows on the sides of the house, it just pulls the heat out,” Allison continues. “In the summer we have no need for air conditioning.”
The careful positioning of the structure also allowed Allison to preserve and incorporate the surrounding forest, setting the main living area into the canopy of trees. The ever-changing “canvases” presented in the ubiquitous window frames are enhanced by the neutrality of the interior walls and red-oak floors.
All of which may seem rather cerebral — but, as Allison is quick to point out, “livability was the key issue.” That meant lots of deck space to enjoy the outdoors year-round, thanks to an open-air fireplace protected on two sides from the harshest of winter’s winds. “When it’s spitting ice or rain you can sit out there and feel comfortable,” says Allison. “It’s like a campfire.”
The master suite, tucked at the end of the service corridor, demonstrates the pragmatic-yet-pleasurable placement of the rooms. The terminus of the house is the master bath with a treetop vista and the bedroom, encased in three walls of windows and featuring a tiny, private deck — compete with hammock — sheltered from the rest of the house. “It’s our getaway,” says Allison with a smile. “A completely adult space.”
Downstairs, their son Blake has an ample playroom which leads to his own bed and bath, configured to readily adapt as he progresses from dinosaurs and Legos to term papers. Supplementing the east-facing casements, Allison placed the side windows of the lower level high on the walls to capture available light and “prevent it from feeling like a basement.”
Upstairs, Allison’s office is housed in a separate volume — self contained, yet accessible to the family quarters — allowing an easy interplay between the architect’s public and private life.
Throughout, the home is furnished in modern, streamlined appointments that don’t demand a strident formality. The butcher-block top on the kitchen island is practical, warm and low-key; the couch is upholstered in soft gray-green leather. “It has a worn baseball-glove character, yet it’s very reductive in its geometry,” Allison observes.
It seems that the home’s guiding philosophy is particularly well illustrated in the master bedroom, which consists, essentially, of a comfortable bed and an embracing view. “What do you really need?” queries Allison. “A place to sleep…a place to dream” — in short, the point where all paths meet.