Fun with the Sun

One of the really big things I am adding to my home is a large solar power system.
My architects came up with the idea of using the roof of the carport as a solar collection by simply roofing the structure with solar panels. All in all this system will provide about 12 kilowatts of power on a nice sunny day.

We purchased the system from Southern Energy Management and they also did the installation. We used these awesome panels that are clear aside from the solar cells. This will allow a lot of nice light into the carport during the day, so that it doesn't become a cave.

Also to note is that Southern Energy Management is a certified B Corporation, which is an awesome thing in and of itself. You can read up on that here.

It always starts with a hole in the ground:


Here you can see the structure of the carport being built:



The base of the roof where the solar panels will rest.


The panels start to go up.


What they look like from below.


The carport is shaping up.


All done from above.

Sickness and Structure!

First off I want to apologize for the lack of posts. I was down and out with a flu-like virus for about two weeks. It was no fun and I encourage everyone to take their vitamins and wash their hands.

I am back now and, along with finally feeling very human again, I have so many pictures to share!

I am working with the amazing David Solow to create a photographic record of this huge project. He is a true artist as well as a gifted renaissance man. I hope you find his images as beautiful and as joyful as I do.

The big big news is that the framing went up while I was home sick. So the house went from a floor with some vertical beams to looking like an actual houseish structure and then to a genuine house shape.

Below are some of the early photos of that process.

These photos are just of the start of the framing process, really just the first floor. This went up in about a span of three days. 

I have more photos that I will publish soon on second floor and roof framing. 

You can see Bob supervising in that last shot. He really has gathered some amazing craftsmen to work on this project. The speed at which this framing went up was unreal. From foundation to done in less than three weeks with a crew of five. 

It's stunning how fast this is coming together and how wonderful the process has been. 

Thank you for reading! 

More very soon!

Alison

Building up

Things are now moving fast at the build site.

After the footings and foundation set, and the rain ended we were finally able to put up the steel support that will be the spine of the house. These two beams are super important because the first floor will be open, so they will be supporting most of the second story.




After the "spine" was installed, there was going to be a week or so of "backfill" which I learned means "putting back all the dirt we moved for the foundation to be built". However it turns out it was an opportune time to for our framers to fit us into their busy schedule. So instead of moving earth, the bones of the house are now going up.

First the trusses for the flooring support went in.

Then the framing for the outer and inner walls on the first floor.

Jason warned me that how the house "felt" would change with each stage of building, and that it would seem like the house felt larger with each stage. So far he is on the money. With just the trusses in the foot print felt so much larger than when it was a foundation with footings.

Then with the addition of the walls, and being able to walk around in those spaces it felt even bigger.

The start of the project was a shift in my brain from the imagined to the concrete, now there is this shift of scale, from the miniature of plans and drawings and even models, to the human scale of the framing. It's an incredible feeling. And it really brings home that this is a BIG project.


More soon!
Thank you for reading,

Alison

Breaking Ground and Breaking the Fast

Welcome Back!
After two years of design work we broke ground late December of 2015.

With the lots cleared and the foundation dug out, the entire project took on new meaning.

There was something about the change from the conceptual to the concrete that made this project that much more real for me.  I can't imagine what it is going to feel like once the structure of the house begins to take shape. 

And while this is an exciting time, there aren't too many visuals to share of the mud and concrete pit that will be my future home. 

Soo..

I love Durham. I love food. Those loves combine and you get my options on local eateries. 

Because I grew up in the Watts Hospital neighborhood and spent two wonderful years as a student at the North Carolina School of Science and Math, I am going to start with restaurants around Ninth Street. 

Ninth Street Eats

Cosmic Cantina

Having lived at NCSSM for two years Cosmic became a second kitchen for a lot of us students. It was a no brainer due to their affordable delicious food within walking distance of the school. 

Now it has become a place of nostalgia as well. Don't let that fool you. Unlike the nostalgia around say, MacGyver, Cosmic still shines like it used to. Delicious, fast food at good prices in an environment that is full of character. 

Elmo's Dinner

Elmo's has been a favorite since my childhood. Once I forgave them for taking over the space from Ninth Street Bakery. 

As Durham's only long term dinner it's a gem. Their menu has a ton of options and is very well priced. The low key, family friendly environment also makes it a great place to grab a bite. 

While at NCSSM I challenged myself to try everything on their expansive menu. While I almost reached my goal, I simply could not keep up once they started adding new specials all the time. I see this as a good thing. 

I am in love with the following dishes: Huevos Rancheros, Greek Grilled Cheese, Bacon Waffle and their Chicken and Dumplings. 

Dain's Place

I am a carnivore. I love a good burger. I am beer-snob-ish, I love a good beer. Dain's is a great place for me. I think they have one of (if not the) best burgers in Durham. With the large selection of beer (bottled and on tap) as well as the option of tater tots or shoe-string fries with your burger, Dain's is one of my happy places. 

Heavenly Buffalos

Also run by Dain, these are some of the best wings I have ever had. They have several flavors from classic buffalo, to BBQ, Teriyaki, Sweet Thai Coconut Chilli and Carolina Honey Mustard.

Also the waffle fries at Heavely Buffalos are something special. Battered, but lightly and perfectly crisp on the outside with a soft core, these waffle fries will raise the fry bar in your book. I promise.  

Also, they deliver. 

Oval Park Grill

Relatively new to the scene, Oval Park Grill is a good in-between of fine dinning and casual comfort. They have a focus on local fresh foods and their menu changes accordingly. They offer unique spins on classic dishes that are truly unexpected and delicious. 

They also have a very good burger. Which I would recommend with these crispy smooshed fingerling potatoes. 

I love a place where I can have local beer on tap, start with an order of raw oysters and then have a solid burger. 

Vin Rouge

French fine dinning at it's best. The food is artfully crafted and you can taste it in every bite. While on the pricer side of eating out in the area, it is well worth the expense. 

When the restaurant gets busy it can make it hard to hear conversation at your table, but after the food arrives there usually isn't much talking. 

Leave room for desert. The chocolate mousse (when they have it) is one of my favorite foods on the planet.

I could go on all day about food, but I won't. In coming posts I hope to cover the delicious dishes of downtown and good eats on the south-side of town.

Next post I hope to cover what work went on before we broke ground and what the process of choosing fixtures was like for me. 

Thank you for reading! 

Alison

The Beginning of Something Big

Hello World.
I'm Alison, and I am building a home.
It is in Durham, a town I grew up in that is very near and dear to my heart. I tried leaving Durham once, but my roots called me back after only a year.
Now I am endeavoring to lay down more permanent and personal roots near downtown by creating a home there.
To start with I am building a house with the help of some very talented people.
My architects are Tina Govan of Tina Govan Architect and Jason Hart of Cube Design + Research.
My builder is Bob Woupio of Form Design Build.

My thoughts around what I wanted and design included a home that I could entertain in, raise a family in and grow old in. Tina and Jason helped to turn those desires, along with how I live my life day-to-day and how I relate to my environment into an incredible design. I will probably go in depth into each of these notions in future posts, however I will touch upon some of them briefly here.

Location location location. The land I was lucky enough to find and purchase is in the Cleveland Holloway neighborhood of Durham.  It is within walking distance of downtown, Durham Central Park, and the Golden Belt. I can bike to the Durham CoOp. It is also a neighborhood that has a lot of history and historical buildings. We aren't going to pretend we are building an historic home. It is a modern design, and will look like something build in 2016. However Tina and Jason we're very invested in the feeling of the neighborhood and wanted this house to be in keeping with that feeling. There are a lot of elements of the house that are pulled from the designs of homes around it.  When all is said and done it will be a modern home that is in keeping with the feel and form of the neighborhood.

Primarily it is a house that will be lived in. And a lot of thought was put into keeping all activities of daily living in a serene space.

Home is where the heart is, but hearth is where the home is. I love to cook, and the kitchen is truly the heart of any home. In this house the kitchen is a focal space that is open and accessible. I am uber excited about this.

Integration of the Outside and Inside.  Living in the south I love the outdoors. Things like listening to crickets and cicadas on hot summer nights, cooking out on the grill or smoker, playing horse shoes or croquette in the yard and simply just porch sitting as twilight rolls in. With this in mind the house has lots of doors that can be opened to integrate the indoor space with the outdoor space.

We all get older. The house is also being built with an eye towards aging and the needs that may arise as I get older. I don't want to "age out" of my home.


After over a year of design work we broke ground in December 2015.
Jason put together this amazing cad video of the house design.

 So I welcome you to join me in this endeavor and follow along as I create a home.

Thank you for reading,
Alison