workac combines passive performance with expressive form
WORKac‘s Riverhouse in Hopkinton, Rhode Island, turns floodplain constraints into a defining architectural gesture that merges climate resilience with spatial clarity and formal precision. The project is conceived as a compact, elevated volume defined by a faceted blue metal roof that folds inward to carve out a central courtyard. Conceived to meet Passive House standards, the residence is raised above the ground in response to floodplain conditions. The timber-clad base supports a sharply articulated upper shell, where integrated solar panels and precise openings give the house a clear, almost graphic presence within its wooded setting.
Replacing a weathered rural retreat, the compact structure rises above the ground to meet regulatory requirements. Its lifted volume frames long views across the site and redefines the relationship between house and terrain, positioning elevation as a spatial strategy.
all images by Bruce Damonte
sculpted spatial system shaped by light defines the riverhouse
Led by Amale Andraos and Dan Wood, the team at WORKac embeds environmental performance into the core of the house. Triple-glazed windows, photovoltaic panels paired with on-site battery storage, and 35-centimeter insulated walls support a fully electric, year-round operation. Rather than defaulting to the neutrality often associated with high-performance buildings, the project embraces contrast and expression, using color, texture, and material variation to reflect the tones of its surroundings.
This sculpted envelope operates as more than a formal gesture, organizing the house around a sequence of inward and outward views. The angular geometry of the roof pulls light into the central void while maintaining a compact footprint, allowing the interior to expand through section, while the courtyard introduces a protected outdoor room at the center of the dwelling.
Throughout the house, architecture unfolds as a collaborative field. A custom dining table by MOS Architects anchors the central space, operating simultaneously as structure, furniture, and social condenser. A large, theatrical curtain by Petra Blaisse spans the living room, modulating light and privacy while introducing seasonal variability. In the bedrooms, linen curtains by Austėja Walter soften the interiors, while tiles developed with Karim Chaya bring in patterns rooted in Lebanese craft traditions.
faceted blue roof integrates solar panels within its sculpted geometry
living area opens to the landscape through large glazed openings
central dining space features custom furniture and a large curtain that modulates light
kitchen and dining area extend toward the outdoors
color and light shape movement through the house
patterned tiles and bold color clad the bathroom
nestled within dense woodland along the river
project info:
name: Riverhouse
location: Hopkinton, Rhode Island, US
principals: Amale Andraos + Dan Wood
project architects: Kristina Dittrich, Matt Voss
team: Reuben Cheeks, Din Din, Ryan Fagrie, Jenna Hussain, Madha Nawal, Smiley Scott, Rondela Spooner, Henry Wotowicz, Men Yushan
contractor: Alan Hill and Eze Bongo R&R
MEP, passive house + sustainability: Jordan Goldman, Zero Energy Design
landscape architecture: Anne Penniman Associates, Golden Root Inc.
lighting: Tillotson Design Associates
structural: Augeri Engineering
concrete: Cagin Concrete
electricians: Bruce Kenyon, Kurt Holman
excavation + civil: David Benn
metal cladding + roofing: Jason Senior
plumbing: Ron Zanella
pool: Chuck NeJame, Pools RI
masonry: Gary Williams
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