ARCHITECTURE

White, light and built for this site

Architect James Novak designs the home of his dreams — his own

By David Hack

The James and Kristin Novak home rises from the meadows and woods of the Iowa countryside like a work of art, white and contemporary — in total contrast to its surroundings.

“The design was dictated by the site. I had no notion of this house at all until I found this property. Everything was oriented toward that potential view of looking down into that ravine,” said Novak.

The exterior of the house is clad in an aluminum composite material, a thermal plastic core sandwiched between two layers of aluminum formed in 42” square modules.

Novak, principal architect at Novak Design Group of Cedar Rapids, says of his choice, “the material is something I’ve always wanted to use. The design starts on a piece of scratch paper and it evolves.” For this home, “it evolved into a compact shape with openings in it, based on the 42-inch module” of the exterior material.

Circling the house, the observer is constantly presented with new and interesting perspectives, whether it is the berm on the west, the three floors of glass on the southeast corner, the patios and balconies of the east or the parking area and main entrance on the north.

“This is really a small house on a big lot,” said Novak. Although it has 3,400 square feet of living area, Novak says it’s not because he needs that much space.

“We really worked at making the house smaller. However, everything revolves around the aesthetic. I had to study this in three dimensions. When I built the model of the house, I realized it had to be the size it is for everything to be in proportion.”

Walking into the home is like walking into a sculpture in a modern art museum. Moving from level to level and room to room is not moving from one discreet space to another, but more like seeing the same space from a different point of view. This perception is aided by the openings between levels and areas that make you feel a part of the house as a whole and not just a single piece of it. There is a unity, a harmony in the home that makes each detail, furnishing, or artwork fit as though made specifically for its place.

The entry level contains the garage, heating and cooling machinery, laundry, multi-function “hobby” room, and guest bedroom and bath.

The second floor is the living level, containing entertaining, lounging, dining and food preparation areas. Cabinets and appliances are built-in, contributing to an uncluttered appearance. A large pantry provides storage space for kitchen tools and supplies.

The third level contains a den and master bedroom suite. A prominent feature of the master bath is a Kohler Sok Tub, which fills from a spigot in the ceiling and is designed to overflow and circulate the water as you soak.

There are only three basic materials in the house, white oak, granite and white walls. The furnishings have been selected to complement these materials and the artwork provides colorful accents.

“The primary reason for the use of white is the effect of light on white,” said Novak. “Shade and shadow are very important; lighting is very important to me.”

In the daytime, light enters the house through the many windows and glass walls, reflecting off the white walls, softly illuminating the entire house. At night a similar effect is achieved by plentiful ambient lighting fixtures that both highlight the artwork and softly create warm, inviting spaces to rest and have a conversation.

“I think basically I’m a minimalist. I like things simple and uncluttered,” said Novak.

Yet behind the effect of simplicity is the architect’s attention to complex detail such as the self-designed lighted dining table, remote-controlled window shades and stair treads designed for easy removal when refinishing becomes necessary, to name only a few.

Energy conservation has also been a major concern. All the glass in the house is 1-inch thick, high-performance glass, a sandwich of glass with an air space between. The house is heated by two high-efficiency furnaces, each regulating two zones of the house.

“This is the way I like to live, without a lot of visual distractions. I like the views, the wildlife, the openness to nature,” continued Novak.

And so this contemporary, refined piece of architecture takes its place in southeast Cedar Rapids like a well-placed sculpture which just happens to be a most comfortable living space.

Eastern Iowa Homes, Cedar Rapids Gazette, November 14, 2003

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