RIVER ESCAPE | Shenandoah Valley, Va

HIGH & DRY...A Modern Retreat Rooted in a Challenging Landscape

The Challenge: 

Our client came to us with a dream: a serene, modern retreat perched on a steep, wooded hillside overlooking a river in the Shenandoah Valley. The central challenge was the site itself. The question was how to build a home on such dramatic topography without resorting to massive, disruptive earthwork. The solution needed to be both structurally sound and architecturally elegant, touching the land as lightly as possible.

The FADE Approach: 

Our FADE process is built for challenges like this. The Architectural vision was a modern treehouse—a simple, elegant volume that floats above the slope on a minimal footprint of slender columns. But for us, the design doesn't stop at the concept. As we say, "we don't just draw, we build." Our Fabrication and design process involves digitally modeling the entire building assembly, from the concrete foundations to the roof framing and every steel connection in between. This deep dive into the structural details is a form of digital pre-construction, ensuring every piece fits perfectly.

The Outcome: 

The result is a design that is not only beautiful but is also thoroughly considered and completely buildable. Our hyper-detailed structural model provides the contractor with an unambiguous roadmap for construction, ensuring the architectural vision is executed with precision. This home will be a testament to the idea that even the most challenging sites can be overcome with a process that deeply integrates thoughtful architecture with the practical craft of building.

We have the expertise to combine architecture and fabrication to create buildable designs for the most challenging sites.

Let's explore what we can build for you.