Launch Slideshow

Location: Charlotte, N.C.Designers: Sean C. Murray and H. Robert Dinsmore, Jr., Masterbuilder Fellowship for the Built Environment, Matthews, N.C.Constructed by: Sean C. Murray, John L. Franco, Kevin K. Carpenter, and Richard C. Ellison, Masterbuilder Fellowship for the Built Environment

Merit Award, Design/Build, Under $100,000

Play Slideshow >>

Merit Award, Design/Build, Under $100,000

  • Location: Charlotte, N.C.Designers: Sean C. Murray and H. Robert Dinsmore, Jr., Masterbuilder Fellowship for the Built Environment, Matthews, N.C.Constructed by: Sean C. Murray, John L. Franco, Kevin K. Carpenter, and Richard C. Ellison, Masterbuilder Fellowship for the Built Environment

    Location: Charlotte, N.C.Designers: Sean C. Murray and H. Robert Dinsmore, Jr., Masterbuilder Fellowship for the Built Environment, Matthews, N.C.Constructed by: Sean C. Murray, John L. Franco, Kevin K. Carpenter, and Richard C. Ellison, Masterbuilder Fellowship for the Built Environment

    http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/a1cfc491-18a7-4863-a4c5-73dbb14ef1ec_tcm17-421989.jpg

    Location: Charlotte, N.C.Designers: Sean C. Murray and H. Robert Dinsmore, Jr., Masterbuilder Fellowship for the Built Environment, Matthews, N.C.Constructed by: Sean C. Murray, John L. Franco, Kevin K. Carpenter, and Richard C. Ellison, Masterbuilder Fellowship for the Built Environment

    500

    Joe Ciarlante, Ciarlante Photography

    Treetop dinner: This timber-screened veranda replaced a poorly built deck and created a gathering space that is comfortable nearly year-round. Judges admired "the whimsy of it being in the trees."

  • http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/161af0ba-94b6-4c73-89b8-bfbece06d89e_tcm17-421992.jpg

    239

    Joe Ciarlante, Ciarlante Photography

    The roofing material is a combination of asphalt shingles (to match the existing shingles) and translucent polycarbonate panels, to transmit a glow of filtered natural daylight and minimize the loss of natural light in the now-enclosed kitchen and dining room.

  • http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/53780645-3d78-4c1d-8e7e-54bc223801b4_tcm17-421995.jpg

    478

    Joe Ciarlante, Ciarlante Photography

    Because the home is on a steep, wooded lot, the platform is 17 feet above grade. It is supported by 8-foot by 8-foot treated pine posts, braced with steel tensioning cables and exposed turnbuckles. Brushed aluminum railings have horizontal steel tension cables.

  • http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/44220ba0-8061-4ea2-ae86-7177fc7b486b_tcm17-421998.jpg

    387

    Joe Ciarlante, Ciarlante Photography

    The veranda is accessible from the adjacent kitchen and can accommodate gatherings of up to 20 people. All-season quartz patio heaters extend its useable "season" to nearly all year. Brazilian Ipe flooring offers excellent durablity and intense color.

  • http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/522662aa-462e-4852-a027-8709ad681da6_tcm17-422001.jpg

    473

    Joe Ciarlante, Ciarlante Photography

    The project's designers are also its builders, in homage to the art and craft of the ancient masterbuilder. They designed the roof shape and exposed timber-and-steel structural system to both work with the difficult existing roof conditions and shape a pleasing room beneath it.

  • http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/19592707-3c72-44f4-b42e-cfd937828b03_tcm17-422004.jpg

    212

    Joe Ciarlante, Ciarlante Photography

    What sold me is the understructure," said one judge. "Detailing this so it looked so simple was a feat," said another judge.

  • http://www.remodeling.hw.net/Images/05d86744-78da-4fc0-bda1-398e6eafaedc_tcm17-422006.jpg

    210

    Joe Ciarlante, Ciarlante Photography

    "I think it's a pretty incredible thing," said a judge.

Challenge: To replace a poorly built deck with a timber-screened, enclosed room able to accommodate up to 20 guests. Key details: Exposed timber and steel structural system, ipe flooring, brushed aluminum railings, polycarbonate panels for natural light. Judges appreciated: deceptively simple-looking detailing, sophisticated understructure, whimsy of building the room “in the trees.”

Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Designer and Contractor:  Masterbuilder Fellowship for the Built Environment, Matthews, N.C.

See list of all 2008 RDA winners.