Hillside Cottage Study

When designing for a steeply sloped site with significant tree preservation requirements, questions arise that floor plans alone can’t answer. Will the building feel grounded in the landscape? Does the angled relationship between house and garage work visually? How will the rooflines read against the wooded hillside? This project came to us as a massing validation study - the client and architect needed to confirm the design would “look right” before committing to final materials and colors. Working from the site survey and architectural plans, we built a detailed 3D model incorporating the actual terrain contours and preserved trees, then produced clay renderings from multiple vantage points. The monochromatic treatment strips away material distractions and focuses attention on form, proportion, and site integration - exactly what the design team needed to move forward with confidence.