Norway Point
Ashland, NH – Nestled in the beautiful North Country of New Hampshire, Samyn – D’Elia Architects, P.A. is still a well-kept secret. Indeed, the firm has been the architect for numerous award-winning projects including:
• Norway Point, Lake Winnipesaukee – AIA NH 2014 Honor Award.
• The Lodges at Church Landing at Mill Falls, in Meredith.
• Hampton Beach State Park Redevelopment – AIA NH 2013 Merit Award and the coveted People’s Choice Award for Commercial Projects.
• Holderness School student dormitories and faculty residences, in Holderness – Cornerstone Award from the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of NH, June 15, 2012, and Citation Award for Excellence in Architecture from AIA NH, January 20, 2012, and Gold LEED certification.
• Alpine Clinic, in Franconia – AIA NH 2011 People’s Choice Award and two Silver awards from the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of NH, April 2, 2011.
• Interlakes Medical Center, in Meredith – Gold award from the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of New Hampshire, April 2, 2011.
• Restoration of Ashland School, in Ashland, built in 1878, closed in 1991, falling in disrepair, and designated as one of the “Seven to Save” by the NH Preservation Alliance. AIA NH 2011 Merit Award for the renovation of this historic facility.
High-Profile’s Daniele MacMillan had the opportunity to question Ward D’Elia and Tom Samyn to find out what worked for them when incorporating sustainable practices into the Norway Point design.
Ward D’Elia: We have had a 25-year relationship with Timberpeg, a manufacturer of post and beam homes in Claremont. Though Timberpeg does not manufacture homes for us, the company has designed frames and provides us with numerous products. Timberpeg and Samyn – D’Elia Architects have partnered in award-winning projects such as the recent Norway Point home. The post and beam technique using real pegs goes back to the 1500s.
Tom Samyn: The Norway Point house is a Timberpeg home, made up of heavy timber, hence very energy-efficient and with a warm ambience.
Ward D’Elia: Norway Point consists of a convoluted nine-acre lot property with a 230° view of the lake, part of which is a huge spit of land, 60-foot wide, going 200 feet into the lake, with limited area to build upon. As a result, we had to very carefully set the house on the available 3,000sf space, while taking advantage of the sunrise, morning, and sunset views.
One of the owners likes to cook. So the kitchen was an important piece of the design and needed to be oriented toward the east side of the house, with easy access to the outside because the owners enjoy living inside and outside. The house had to be designed around the lifestyle of the clients, the severe limitations of the property, and the magnificent opportunity to see the lake and get sunlight into the spa. That house shape reflects all those criteria. The clients like wood, materials, and stone. As a result, the house has six fireplaces linked to a single chimney and a huge amount of stonework – a design feature that the clients wanted to bring forward.
The clients wanted lots of lighting in the house, especially in the kitchen where the cabinets and pantry are set below. The house is curving around to take full advantage of the view. Timber was designed as a spoke-like fashion around a pivot in the middle of the house, visible in the living room, and the same is taking place directly above in the master bedroom, where the roof is pivoting around, not just up and down. Very interesting!
