House at Kingdom Farm

Situated in Burke, Vermont amidst a rural landscape including historic agrarian structures on nearby Kingdom Farm, this house is designed to casually conform to Vermont architecture precedent while including fresh design expressions of our time. This is achieved through the form for the house, which is loosely based on the farm’s English barn—with a shed roof addition and open, wraparound porch. The locally sourced eastern white cedar exterior and the subtle bluestone patio pavers serve to complement the natural surroundings.

The internal layout of the 3-bedroom, 3-1/2 bath 3,345 sq. ft. residence features a highly efficient space plan—maximizing the number of sleeping quarters on the upper and lower levels. The open plan at ground level provides expansive views of the landscape from the primary living space and conveniently opens to outdoor seating and recreation spaces to the east and south. Locally sourced ash, used in the flooring, cabinetry, and interior doors, graces the house’s interior. Granite countertops provide contrast to and modernize the warmth of the wood.

The House at Kingdom Farm is net-zero, all-electric, and heated and cooled with air source heat pumps—thus achieving state-of-the art energy efficiency. In fact, the house generates more energy than it uses. Electric vehicles can be charged from the solar array. The design adheres to Passive House principles and the project is Efficiency Vermont Certified: High-Performance.

This project earned an AIA Vermont Excellence in Architecture Design Award in 2022. Jurors commented, “The exterior material of this house looks similar to the siding on the original barn. I liked that historical aspect of the exterior aesthetic. The way this simple structure sits in the landscape…it looks like it belongs or was always there. The clean form makes sense—since it’s supposed to be a place of rest and rejuvenation, not a primary residence. The interior looks calming, too.”