tonic design: crabill modern residence

‘crabill modern’ by tonic design, hillsborough, north carolina image © richard leo johnson all images courtesy of tonic design

american firm tonic design has finished the ‘crabill modern,’ a residence in the middle of a clearing in the surrounding five-acre lush forest property near hillsborough, north carolina. the family wanted a dwelling sensitive to the natural ecosystem, that encouraged creativity and provided a comfortable and interesting space to live. taking cues from the barn shed typology, the contemporary reinterpretation skews the floor plan, with perforated and solid corten panels fulfill the purpose of shading, screening and protecting from the natural elements without the need for further maintenance.

the first floor contains the entry, kitchen, living room, music/studio space and two decks. the upper level has the private bedrooms and a loft. oak flooring adds a warmth to the interior surfaces, filled with natural light from the surrounding woodland. the dwelling was built for 155$ per square foot due to the design/build process and the availability of local materials. the national wildlife federation has also certified the house as a natural habitat.

backside of the house, view from the forest image © richard leo johnson

steel plates wrap the exterior image © richard leo johnson

image © richard leo johnson

perforated metal panels shade from the sun image © richard leo johnson

easy assembly cuts down on construction time and cost image © richard leo johnson

interior living area image © richard leo johnson

perforated metal panels lining the stairs image © richard leo johnson

image © richard leo johnson

construction process image © richard leo johnson

site plan

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

section

evolution of the form

project info:

location: hillsborough, nc clients: john and stacy crabill designer: vinny petrarca, tonic design builder: tonic construction photos: richard leo johnson structural engineer: richard kaydos-daniels electrical engineer: adam carrington framing: fernando lazano roofing: ronald dean gipson flooring: fisher hardwood flooring