Wedge House

Nestled within a wooded hillside along the Elkhorn River in Eastern Nebraska, Wedge House engages the landscape while propositioning what sustainable living in the Great Plains could look like.  A home should be something that inspires joy, honors place, and lasts for generations. Wedge House entertains the concept of circular economies while employing stable materials to create a structure that’s appropriate, sustainable, and durable all at once. The scheme utilizes two wedge shapes whose roofs are optimized for solar and rain harvesting. The high performance envelope wrapped in corrugated steel from regional agrarian buildings boosts building performance while bringing new life to the weathered cladding material. The interior finishes are built of warm, wood tones including that of the invasive Eastern Red Cedar which threatens the health of Nebraskan prairies. Made from local limestone retaining walls form the terraces which act as the unifying elements between home and nature. Wedge House fully commits to sustainable living through materiality, technology, and form while standing in achievable opposition to the ubiquitous spec homes of suburban America.