Agrarian Homestead

Scott Wilson, Architect, LLC

Our client purchased a 73 acre parcel of land in Franklin, Tennessee and hired our firm to create a new farm including a new home designed to complement an agrarian lifestyle. The owners have a child with special needs with requirements which included a single story design, a place to run indoors and a sensory room. The primary objective was to create a home that focuses around a central outdoor space while providing privacy and separate zones for sleeping, living and working.

The owners wanted a strong connection to the outdoors and spaces that could flow freely between the indoors and outside. The expansive sliding glass wall at the living room doubles the size of the main living area. The single story requirement made planning the spaces challenging because of the large footprint.

Five distinct zones; Work, Play, Children's area, family area, and Owners private area, are all connected by circulation that helps to define each area.

The topography of the site presents many grading challenges and requires that the outdoor spaces step down in order to reduce the need for tall retaining walls which create a strong connection to the site, with three different levels of terraces that have their own unique features and uses. The pool and terraces are oriented to the south to take advantage of the sun exposure while the deep covered porch keeps the direct sun out of the living area.

The master plan for the property celebrates native plants, water features, meadows and wooded areas that encourage and support native wildlife habitat.