As we’re starting a new chapter, we’re also kicking off an ambitious project. The Mt Airy Passive House is a single-family residence nestled into a hillside of the Mt Airy forest in Cincinnati. The hills are old, but the forest is not. The Civilian Conservation Corps planted the forest as an urban renewal project in the 1950s after the land had been cleared for dairy farms decades before. The site is relatively steep and is officially in one of Cincinnati’s Hillside Overlay Districts, which made zoning approval a few hoops trickier.
We’ve broken ground on the sitework and utilities.
Depending on the site, this phase can be relatively quick, or take a while. We’re on an undeveloped lot with a 400′ driveway approach. There are historic stone retaining walls dotting the site, but no existing utilities or other infrastructure. So we’ve worked diligently to plan a sympathetic siting for the new house, and route the drive, parking area, utility entrances, etc to best suit the topography. The goal is to distrurb as little of the hillside as possible, ensure we didn’t require a zoning or building variance, and keep expenses in check.
As we get this project built, expect updates here, and follow us on Instagram @trilobitedesign to follow along.