Secret Garden House – Newton, MA
Exterior Cladding
NIGIRI Charred Accoya®
FSC®-Certified: FSC® mix 70%
Select Grade
Custom Shiplap
The Secret Garden House in Newton, MA is a serene retreat for a young family with a shared passion for sports and outdoors. The L-shaped design wraps around the pool and features ample exterior living spaces including a basketball court and elevated terraces for family and friends to gather.
Meticulously designed to navigate stringent zoning restrictions, the Secret Garden House maximizes its compact lot while fulfilling the client’s vision for a spacious home with a small footprint. Set back from the street to frame views of the gardens, the exterior is clad in NIGIRI Charred Accoya paired with granite stone walls that gradually transition visitors to the interior.
Technical Support and Highlights
An existing partnership with our Specification Consultant led the project team to partner with reSAWN for an exterior cladding that would support the home’s design and sustainability needs. After consulting on the project goals, which included a gray wood that would enhance the design’s other elements, we provided several product samples that led to the selection of NIGIRI Charred Accoya. Highlights of the solution include:
- Durability and Performance: The team at Maryann Thompson Architects was in search of a high-performance wood cladding with durable, anti-rot characteristics. Engineered to withstand shifting climates, Accoya defies the elements and eliminates the vulnerabilities of natural wood through a patented modification process that improves dimensional stability.
- Sustainability: A pillar of the Secret Garden House design was sustainability and environmental stewardship—preserving the mature trees that surround the home and utilizing materials and building principles to achieve a zero-carbon home. Accoya is FSC®-Certified and naturally insulating, making it ideal for applications where energy conservation is a priority. Non-toxic and recyclable, Accoya acts as a natural carbon sink, emitting lower lifecycle carbon emissions.
- Mockup and Installation Support: A full-scale mockup was built onsite to evaluate the wood’s weathering capabilities and determine assembly details and proper installation practices. reSAWN’s Specification Consultant and in-house technical experts provided ongoing support throughout construction, guiding installation and ensuring the cladding performs as intended over time.
Based in Cambridge, MA, Maryann Thompson Architects (MTA) offers a wide range of services to public and private clients. Specializing in sustainable, regionally driven architecture, MTA focuses on creating projects with a rich connection between indoors and out, utilizing light and employing warm, natural materials.
Bannon Custom Builders offers new construction, architectural design, renovations, and commercial build-out services in the Nantucket and Northeast areas. Working directly with property owners, architects, and designers, they deliver unique projects with superior attention to detail.