Traditional Stone Craft in Modern Architecture
The patio view, with a spot awaiting its Japanese maple.
In 2021, Hammerhead Stoneworks was approached by architects Emma Fuller and Michael Overby of the New York firm Fuller/Overby. They were building a private residence on Lake James in Nebo, North Carolina and sought our creativity and craftsmanship. We completed two stone projects as part of this amazingly beautiful home.
We built a backyard patio that connects the house and yard and allowed the homeowners a stunning view of the lake. Our patio offered a transition from the highly crafted interior of the home to the wild beauty of the nature surrounding.
A Japanese maple tree is planted in a well within the patio. We worked closely with a local arborist to provide a root growth pattern for the tree that would not disrupt the patio. Only time will tell, but the the tree evokes a strong feeling in the courtyard. It belongs there.
… a lake view…
There’s a subtle detail in the patio, a groove carved into the surface. Above the patio, there is a scupper, a gutter/drain that extends past the edge of the roof. It deposits rainwater onto the patio. The groove begins there, directly under the scupper, and meanders to the hole where the maple is planted. The groove widens as it goes, like a river gathering energy as it makes its way to the sea. The groove connects the house to the tree, nourishing it with water.
The carved groove, watering the tree while transporting water across the patio.
We also created a front entryway. The house is nestled into the hillside, and one must walk down from the driveway to the front door. Wide bluestone steps and a small landing at the front door imply cascading water.
Because the steps are lower than the surrounding earth, we needed a retaining wall. We took a novel approach, using cut pieces of Tennessee Stone, stood vertically. We anchored them deep in the ground and knitted them together with reinforcing rods on the back of the wall. This created a unique look which echoed the Shou Sugi Ban house siding. That is the Japanese style of burning cedar planks to enhance their durability and pest resistance. The brown colored siding of the house is not painted; it is charred wood. Circular lights are cut into the face of the wall to promote safe passage.
One can find a lovely portfolio of the house, and our work on the Fuller/Overby website. On the homepage, click the work icon in the upper right corner. The Nebo House is currently the first portfolio, indicated at the top of the page by a sketch that looks a little bit like a flattened box of takeout rice.
The Nebo House was selected by Architectural Record for their 2023 Record Houses issue. The article is behind a paywall, but if it’s your first time to their site, you get a free article or two. Check it out!
