Nodiff
Tobacco Grove Residence. Located within a secluded enclave outside of Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Size
-
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Project Team
Vellum Architects
Design Team
Newphire Building, Acetola Landscape Architects
Completed
2024 (?)
Category
On The Boards
Project Brief
This residence emerges as a carefully calibrated architectural response to its wooded setting and historical context.
The site, once part of the estate of former senator and vice-presidential nominee John Edwards, is characterized by a dense pine forest, rolling meadows, and remnants of agrarian structures, including the remains of a tobacco barn. The architectural design engages both the cultural memory of the site and its natural beauty, resulting in a home that is both grounded and contemporary.
Design Intent & Conceptual Framework
The design is composed of two discrete volumes connected by a glass bridge element that spans across a gently contoured landscape swale.
This organizational strategy creates a distinct spatial separation between public and private domains while establishing a clear architectural narrative of passage and transition. The primary volume houses the main living areas and guest suites, with the adjacent pavilion dedicated to the primary suite — a gesture that affords the clients a quiet retreat nestled deeper into the landscape.
Site Strategy & Programmatic Organization
Formally, the architecture expresses a deliberate contrast between the different programmatic elements.
The sleeping quarters are articulated as gable-roofed volumes, evoking the familiar residential typology of the region while anchoring the home to its context. In contrast, the living areas and garage are housed under low-slope roof structures, allowing these spaces to adopt a more flexible, open character. This juxtaposition of forms establishes a dynamic spatial rhythm across the site, reinforcing the home’s dual identity as both a refuge and a place of gathering.
Architectural Language & Materiality
The house draws inspiration from the site's vernacular history.
The tobacco barn remnants informed the use of custom natural wood batten-on-board siding, a contemporary interpretation of the region’s rural architecture. This material, combined with linear black brick cladding, creates a restrained yet tactile palette that allows the home to recede into the surrounding pine forest. The articulation of the façade emphasizes verticality and texture, echoing the rhythm of the forest and further embedding the house within its environment.
The interiors are conceived as a quiet backdrop for the clients’ extensive art collection, with natural light carefully orchestrated to animate the works throughout the day. Expansive glazing frames curated views of the landscape, fostering a constant dialogue between art, architecture, and nature. The glass bridge, with its ephemeral quality, heightens this experience by offering a moment of suspension within the wooded setting.
The contemporary open living plan.
The contemporary open living plan.
Conclusion
The Tobacco Grove Residence exemplifies an architecture of quiet sophistication
One that respects the site’s layered histories while offering a refined, modern living environment. Through its thoughtful integration of form, material, and landscape, the project creates a sanctuary that is both timeless and deeply connected to its place.