WP_Post Object
(
    [ID] => 4943
    [post_author] => 4
    [post_date] => 2015-08-06 10:56:56
    [post_date_gmt] => 2015-08-06 14:56:56
    [post_content] => Project:  Trees on the Roof
Architects: Meditch Murphey Architects
General Contractor: Design/Build
Location: D.C. Area
Style: Modern, Sustainable, Residential-Home Office
Product Integration: The Bark House® at Highland Craftsmen Inc® Poplar Panels | Exterior and Interior
Project Awards: Washingtonian Award | Washington, DC Chapter of the AIA | Tree House, Washington DC | AIA Maryland Excellence in Design Awards 2014
Magazine Articles: Architecture DC, Summer 2015 (view pdf version) | ARCHITECT, the Journal of the American Institute of Architects 
Photo Credit: © 2014 Meditch Murphey Architects

Marcie Meditch, AIA and John Dennis Murphey, AIA form the husband and wife team of Meditch Murphey Architects.  They are avid travelers and nature lovers.

Project Goals: Shared home and office space.  Seamless connection to nature.  Use of sustainable materials and techniques.  Employing a restrained pallet.

Bark House Bark Panels - Meditch Murphey ArchitectsInspiration for use of bark panels came from Bark House® products used on the Appalachian State University (Award Winning for Best in Design), Solar Decathlon House.

Question Responses Provided By: Marcie Meditch, AIA

How have the Architect/ Owners and others responded to the bark panels?
When guests arrive at the house, they are greeted with the bark as it wraps around the building along the entry ramp. Almost invariably, the first thing they ask is, “What is this? Is this real bark?”, to which they exclaim, “Wow!” after the affirmative answer. Everyone is fascinated with it. Drawn by curiosity, they feel compelled to touch it.

What attracted the team to use the product?
We first saw the bark shingles used in the Solar Homestead house by Appalachian State for the Solar Decathlon. It's such an unusual and beautiful product. We liked its environmental qualities and had to use it.

What was installation like?
Installation was relatively easy. Because we were using flat panels instead of the shingles on the outside, we worked out the details with the people at Bark House and haven’t had any issues yet.

Bark House Bark Panels - Meditch Murphey ArchitectsHow have the panels performed?
Performance has been excellent. The exterior panels are in great shape.

Any other details about project intent and product integration?
We like clean lines and a modern aesthetic, but we also like warm spaces with natural texture and color. The bark ends at either a white stucco wall or a white interior wall, so the contrast highlights and celebrates the textural qualities of the bark. It becomes visual wallpaper – a natural material in abstract form. The walls are mesmerizing, a real showpiece!

How did the panels match the project's overall goals?
We struggled finding the right material for the entry and kept changing it throughout the design phase and even after construction had begun. At first it was stucco, then tile, then ipe slats, but nothing seemed quite right. Then we discovered the bark siding and knew we found the perfect fit. The wall at the entry starts with a generous curve. As you go up the ramp and turn the corner, the wall curves again, but this time at a smaller radius. As you enter the house, the bark continues and the smallest curve turns the corner that leads into the living room and kitchen space. It was easy to bend the bark since it naturally wants to curve anyway. Given the properties of the bark, it provided a seamless look that brought nature inside the house and strengthened the connection between indoor and outdoors.

Bark House Bark Panels - Meditch Murphey Architects

_______________________________________

If you liked this post, you can stay up to date by signing up for our monthly newsletter in the box at the bottom of this page or share it with others using the buttons below

_______________________________________

[post_title] => POSITIONED AMONG TREES [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => positioned-among-trees [to_ping] => [pinged] => https://barkhouse.com/products/poplar-bark-panels/ https://barkhouse.com/news/ [post_modified] => 2017-06-15 14:23:50 [post_modified_gmt] => 2017-06-15 18:23:50 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://barkhouse.wpengine.com/?p=4943 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )
March 10, 2016

Touchdown!

Super Bowl Win Starts At Home More than 114 million American football fans watched the Super Bowl this year.  Winning teams and team owners know the importance of fans during game day.  So what do fans care about?  After home team wins and between touchdowns and beer runs, they want ease of movement, good seats … Continued

March 03, 2016

Media “Touching on” Bark Wall Coverings

Over 100 Well Positioned Media Outlets have featured The Bark House®. Below, you will find exceprts about the compelling nature of touch, texture and connection created when designing with the company’s Bark Wall Coverings. The attraction is unmistakable. There is also a short list of BLOGs talking about The Bark House®. Full articles and blogs … Continued

February 04, 2016

12 Romantic Getaways Adorned in Bark

From the heart of the mountains of North Carolina to the soul of a bustling urban center in Berlin, Germany, nothing says “I Love You” more than Romantic Getaway spots with nature’s adornment. We’re sharing one destination with romantic wooden architecture for every month and wishing you a year full of love.     1  … Continued

January 07, 2016

1 is the Nature of the Place

If you rang in the New Year watching the ball drop on Times Square in New York City, I hope you stayed at 1 Hotel to balance the bustle of the crowd with respite in nature.  It’s a 15 minute stroll or 10 minute bus ride.  With everything at your fingertips, the two places still … Continued

December 03, 2015

A GRAND LEGACY

Project: All Saints Episcopal Church Plus Five Residences Architect: Henry Bacon, AIA – 1895 Location: Linville, NC Style: Beaux-Arts with Rustication and Bark Shingle Treatments Product Integration: Chestnut Bark Shingles, The Predecessor To Bark House® Poplar Bark Shingles Architect Awards:  Gold Medal Presented by President Harding For The Design Of The Lincoln Memorial, Among Others … Continued

November 05, 2015

Three Projects Using Yellow Birch Bark for Wall Coverings

  Project:      Three Small Spaces With A Big Impact     Designers:  Pam McKay, Dianne Davant Interiors General  Contractor:  Baxter Norris Location:  Linville, NC Style:  Rustic Lodge       Designers: Locati Interior Design General  Contractor:  JNL Innovative Construction Location:  Fairway, KS Style:  Rustic Traditional         Designers:  Steve Silver, Boone Construction Co General  Contractor:  Boone Construction … Continued

October 01, 2015

gb&d Magazine Features Bark House® Poplar Bark Shingles

Project: Child’s Play at U of Chicago Childcare Center Architect: Larry Kearns, AIA, Principal, Wheeler Kearns Architects, Chicago, Illinois General Contractor: Leopardo Companies Magazine or Media Feature: gb&d Magazine Blog: gb&d Material World Location: University of Chicago, Childcare Center Style: Modern-Rustic / Urban-Nature Product Integration: Poplar Bark Shingles, Laminated Project Awards: 2015 – USGBC Emerald … Continued

September 03, 2015

White Birch Storefront – Power in Balance

Project: Lululemon Retail Storefront Architect: BKA Architecture and Interiors – Brockton, MA Location: Albany NY Style: Modern Product Integration: The Bark House® at Highland Craftsmen Inc® White Birch Veneer Panels Photography: Dexter Davis Photography Comments:  Employees note that people do a double take to see if it’s real.  They appreciate a fresh, natural look for the … Continued

August 06, 2015

POSITIONED AMONG TREES

Project:  Trees on the Roof Architects: Meditch Murphey Architects General Contractor: Design/Build Location: D.C. Area Style: Modern, Sustainable, Residential-Home Office Product Integration: The Bark House® at Highland Craftsmen Inc® Poplar Panels | Exterior and Interior Project Awards: Washingtonian Award | Washington, DC Chapter of the AIA | Tree House, Washington DC | AIA Maryland Excellence in Design Awards 2014 Magazine Articles: Architecture … Continued

Stay Connected

Sign up here to receive email updates about products, promotions, & stories