When it comes to preparing to build a new home, it's important to work with an architect early in the planning and design process. Since 2010, at Arocordis Design, a Vermont residential architecture firm, we have guided families through the process of planning, and design of modern, sustainable homes. By working with us from the beginning, we can help maximize your investment and vision showing up in the end result. We think holistically about many factors involved in planning, preparing, designing, then building a project. By applying our experience, creativity, and foresight to your project, we feel we can positively impact the lives of our clients.
Defining Modern Home Design with Arocordis Design
One of the first steps in designing a new home is defining what modern design means to you and the sustainability strategies to use that fit your site, project requirements, budget, and mindset. At Arocordis Design, we work closely with our clients to explore exciting possibilities and draw home design inspiration from the natural beauty and climate of Vermont. We also look to historic examples of modern design to help establish a "north star" vision for the project. Along the way, we strive to supply best-practice insights in adapting climate-positive site design, building systems, and healthy materials and finishes strategies to your project.
We work together to weave the tapestry together of all these factors, along with your project requirements. Together we heighten and sharpen your vision for the project. We collaboratively build a sense of the overall modern mood and character you seek in your project, whether a major renovation, addition, or a new home.
What combination of the roof, building forms and shapes fit well on the land and site? Is it a rural site with few structures around, or in a suburban or urban area where it’s important to take design cues from the neighborhood? What are the optimum exterior and interior materials to best use to achieve the emerging vision? We may consider together siding options like flat or corrugated corten-steel or weathering-steel, or the use of locally harvested sustainable timber and siding, the use of low-carbon concrete, tastefully designed window locations balancing access to views, safety, and energy efficiency.
We will also explore climate-positive and community-friendly design approaches and more along the way! This process not only helps guide the overall design but can also aid in the selection of the perfect building site. We also focus on designing family-friendly homes sensitive to factors such as aging in place, multiple-generations living together, as determined by client requirements. We make this process about seeking solutions that solve your needs of today while paying clear attention to the longer view.
Kickstarting the Project with Planning and Concept Design
Once we establish the project vision together, we begin in earnest the planning and concept design phase. This is where we take a closer look at the building site, including location, environmental and permitting, access to electrical and septic constraints, topography, and solar orientation. This information is used to determine the general layout options for the house, including placing of sleeping and living areas, decks and terraces, and entry and garage, then driveway and other site area connections.
From Vision to Reality: Designing Your Home
From this initial planning, we move on to the design phase. We focus on creating a detailed design that meets your specific needs and incorporates sustainable, energy-efficient features. This includes determining room and exterior space sizes, ceiling heights, and views to the outside. We get really specific together about entry, mudroom, kitchen and bath design and layout, deck design and layout, work-from-home, and aging in place design variables. We also consider the optimum choices in building systems such as heating and cooling, electrical, home battery, vehicle charging stations, laundry, and work-from-home spaces, as well as other safety, and accessibility features as desired or required by your familiy.
Depending your chapter of life and your family needs you may ask us to design for multiple generations to live together. Or at least have options for later build out of accessory dwelling units, mother-in-law apartments, or vacation rental suites for extra income.
We present the final design in the form of sketches, 3D computer models, and detailed plans. Once approved, we move on to the next phase, working with builders to refine the plans and develop a detailed budget.
Net-Zero-Ready, Healthy, and Climate-Positive Design
At Arocordis Design, we are committed to net-zero-ready, climate-positive design. This means that we design homes that are not only energy-efficient, and healthy to live in, but also have the potential to produce as much energy as they consume while taking care of the environment as best as possible.
To optimize this, we balance solutions aligned with your project vision, budget, timetable, and site. We will also look closely at material and finish selection. We examine options that take into account the health and well-being of the builders during construction as well as of the families and guests using the home over its life. For further food for thought on the affordability side, we also have a variety of prototype prefab friendly modern net zero home plans we can affordably adapt the design to your needs and site. See Fieldhouse, Wing-house, and Mountain-Meadow NetZero Ready for more.
Conclusion
Building a new modern home is likely a once-in-a-lifetime investment, and it's important to work with a team you can trust. At Arocordis Design, we have the expertise to guide you through the process, from initial planning to construction. We can also help with designing and adding a wing addition to your existing home, other major renovations like expanding kitchens and baths, or detached accessory dwelling units. If you're ready to take the first step toward designing your dream home in Vermont, contact us today to learn more. Or further along on your project, and want to receive our residential planning questionnaire and project intake form to fill out, just let us know. We will send it to you.
We hoped you enjoyed this article! If you have any questions about the design process let us know. For more subjects like Climate-Positive Design, and Multi-generational additions click on the links within. We also have an excellent article on the Power of Planning on a new Project and key tips. If you want to see these ideas in action, take a look at our residential portfolio below. Check back regularly for more articles about our design process, innovations and trends in home design and sustainability.
Arocordis Design, a custom residential architect and planner, has served Vermont families since 2010. We provide licensed architectural services throughout Central Vermont, including Waterbury, Stowe, Montpelier, Calais and beyond. We also serve the Burke, St. Johnsbury, White River Junction, Tunbridge, and the Woodstock regions. We specialize in modern-inspired home design that connects to Vermont’s past while providing a creative climate positive vision for the future.