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Arc House by Maziar Behrooz Architecture

By Eric Meunier

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East Hampton-based studio Maziar Behrooz Architecture has completed the Arc House project in 2010.

This new contemporary home was designed for a couple and their two big dogs and is located in East Hampton, New York, USA.

According the Wall Street Journal, “the couple paid $1.25 million for the property down a long road lined with tall pines, and another $2.2 million for the building.

Except for its arching corrugated metal roof, the unadorned modern structure built of concrete and glass barely rises higher than the grassy slope into which it’s built.

More than 3,200 of the four-bedroom home’s roughly 6,400 square feet are located in a lower level, making the house appear more than twice as big from the side as it does from the front.”

Architects: Maziar Behrooz Architecture:

“The Arc House is a private residence designed for a couple and their two big dogs.

The site is under a flight path to the local airport and close to a train track. We felt that by using an industrial building technology, an airplane hangar, we would transcend the perceived limitations of such proximities. Further, we were all seduced by the idea of a large column-less self-supporting canopy that enclosed all the public spaces of the house -cost effectively.

The challenge was to find a scale for the arch that would transform this building system into an intimate and enclosed space. At a radius of 39’ with a peak ceiling height of 16’, we felt the building would be small enough to feel comfortable and yet have a sense of largeness associated with its uninterrupted ceiling curve.

The arch contains the living, dining and kitchen areas in an open plan.

The entry canopy to the arch and a few other components within it are at a height of 7’, creating a touchable lower plane within the larger structure. To allow the client flexibility to add future bedrooms, we decided to house them in a flat- roofed section, in the rear, that is made of structural insulated panels (SIPS).

The lower level houses an office, a sitting room, a garage and work out areas; part of the lower level opens to a courtyard that allows cool air circulation and a distinctly private outdoor space.

By splicing the house into the landscape, we were able to transform the flat site into one with multiple horizons and take advantage of natural cooling and passive design.

The energy usage of the house is significantly less than a typical house of this size; due to both the arc shape and materials used.

Conventional lumber was only used in interior partition wall studs and the exterior cedar siding around the bedroom section.”

Photos by:  Matthew Carbone
Source: Matthew Carbone, ArchDaily

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About Eric Meunier

Currently the Owner and Chief Executive of HODYO Design, Eric Meunier's expertise in the design industry spreads over 20 years. He was the driving force behind HomeDSGN's early success, founding this website in 2011. Today, he loves to channel his passion for design into remodeling houses and transforming interior spaces with his keen eye for detail and architectural finesse. Learn more about HomeDSGN's Editorial Process.

1 thought on “Arc House by Maziar Behrooz Architecture”

  1. Heh… wonders if there are any locations in NZ that would suit a home such as this? A shame I don’t have nearly the money to afford it.

    Easily one of my top 5 houses/homes…

    Reply

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