Hilltop Dogtrot

The “Hilltop Dogtrot” was inspired by a vernacular house form popular in the Old South that dealt effectively with hot, humid summers before the advent of air conditioning: Beneath a single roof, two “cabins” flanked a central passageway that was open at both ends to prevailing breezes. The air flowing through the passageway – or “dogtrot” – cooled the interior spaces. In this 21st century interpretation, the naturally ventilated house hovers just above a hillside on supporting trusses so that air can flow underneath as well as through the house. A massive stone fireplace punctuates the passageway to heat the open space in the winter. The gentle slope of the roofline echoes the rise and fall of the surrounding mountains. Large, deep porches, including a private porch outside the master bedroom, accentuate the sense of living outdoors. A spacious stone terrace below street level and a garage actually imbedding into the earth emphasize the cabin’s connection to its mountain setting. From the approaching road, where a wooden bridge leads to the front door, the house seems to nestle into the hill.