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A Modern Home in a South Carolina Marsh
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June 12, 2013
In our July/August issue we profile a stunning modern home designed by architect James Choate of the Atlanta firm Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein. Located in a 5,000-acre nature preserve in South Carolina, the house is a rare instance of bold contemporary architecture in the region; as Choate puts it, "to put a contemporary house in the Lowcountry is a real shocker." We shared a single image in our Houses We Love column; to see more of the glass-walled great room, inside and out, click through our slideshow.
The house is set in a privately owned nature preserve halfway between Charleston and Savannah, on an isthmus between a marsh and a pond. "It's a cool site, very exotic," says architect James Choate. "It feels like a wildlife sanctuary." The resident, a man who works in commercial real estate, wanted a big space with glass walls to "honor the views."
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Originally appeared in A Modern House in a South Carolina Marsh
Choate built the house with weathered fieldstone on the lower level and clear-grained cedar above. A copper horizontal datum line extends into what Choate calls a "shadow-caster"—a skylight-like void designed to mark time and cast a shadow on the building as the sun moves across the site.
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Originally appeared in A Modern House in a South Carolina Marsh
The grand, glass-walled great room is a loft-like space that incorporates living room and dining area. A bedroom and bathroom are located on a lofted mezzanine level, over the kitchen, pantry, and utility room.
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Originally appeared in A Modern House in a South Carolina Marsh
Choate selected maintenance-free materials for the project wherever possible, including the stone on this fireplace, which includes built-in storage for firewood. The stone extends 25 feet up to the wood-clad ceiling, emphasizing the home's grand scale.
Photo by
Originally appeared in A Modern House in a South Carolina Marsh
The house is set in a privately owned nature preserve halfway between Charleston and Savannah, on an isthmus between a marsh and a pond. "It's a cool site, very exotic," says architect James Choate. "It feels like a wildlife sanctuary." The resident, a man who works in commercial real estate, wanted a big space with glass walls to "honor the views."
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