Book Features Centerbrook House

A new book on residential architecture includes among its 47 profiles of houses around the world a six-page feature on Lakewood House. The house was designed by Centerbrook Partner Mark Simon, FAIA, with Ed Keagle, AIA, serving as the Project Manager. The book, “21st Century Architecture: Designer Houses,” is available from Images Publishing.

The rustic house is nestled in a northeast forest with lake views. Connected shed roofs aim at the water and the sun, providing deep overhangs to shade porches with tall columns that support a solar screen of indigenous logs. These rhythmically placed natural shades allow passive solar warmth in the winter, but keep the house cool in summer. The first floor flows seamlessly into the outdoors and onto a sitting porch through folding glass walls that open from side to side, merging interior and exterior into one great living space. Lakewood House features sustainable geothermal heating and cooling, abundant insulation, natural and local materials, and a highly efficiency furnace that runs on biofuel.

Inside, the main house is united by an arcing two-story hall that doubles as a grand entry. Lined with walls made from local stones at the first floor, it has a catwalk balcony above leading to bedrooms and a studio. The hall serves as the main street for the house, connecting the garage and service rooms in the west with the kitchen and finally the living room at the east.