Orange County NC Website
t <br /> ARCHITECTUIIAL STATEMENT <br /> The building is (designed as a one-story structure to harmonize with the setting <br /> and appear as a natural extension of the crest of the site. The floor and the <br /> ground become th+ same plane. The roof has a' gentle slope that acknowledges <br /> the sloping terrain, and hovers over the building much like the tree canopy. <br /> Walls react to the spaces they envelope, rising up and receding much like the <br /> rock outcroppings in the area. Glass is used to invite natural light, permit <br /> passive solar energy, and to allow an intimate relationship between the inter- <br /> ior spaces and the landscape. Materials and finishes take on a natural char- <br /> acter, matching the tone, texture, and grain of the setting. <br /> All too frequently, designers tend to overemphasize the importance of the <br /> physical shell they are creating, thinking their personal additions will have <br /> an overwhelming impact on those who come to use it. The architectural firm of <br /> Keener, Williams L and Adams feels very strongly that, to the contrary, any <br /> additions or modifications that are made to a site such as the one PEMC has <br /> should appear as la natural form, and only a modification of the continuous <br /> total interplay between inhabitants and their surroundings. <br /> Therefore, it is hoped the building will be viewed and accepted as a very <br /> natural part of the site; that it will have to offer no apologies for its <br /> existence; that it will be devoid of applied ornamentation but express itself <br /> with clarity; chat it will be sincere, warm, humane, and evoke a sense of <br /> charm and familiarity. <br />