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Winner: Apex Projects
Living on an island—in this case, Canfield Island on Long Island Sound—can be magical, but building a house on such a spit of land is a challenge. Brian Hyla, president of Apex Projects, and his teams of subcontractors needed to figure out ways to literally get materials on to Canfield. “The island is linked by a small causeway bridge,” he says, “and when that was rebuilt many years ago after Hurricane Sandy, the resulting bridge was more of a temporary solution than a lasting one.” Given severe weight restrictions on the bridge, for instance, Hyla could only send concrete trucks with half loads; motorized windows that weighed thousands of pounds each had to be brought piecemeal, or as he did at some points during construction, by barge. And because of the island’s topography, the house rests on a pile foundation, which requires its own engineering wizardry. But the house stands proud now. “We got to work with an incredible owner who had the means and the want to do amazing things. He made this project fun, interesting and cool,” recalls Hyla. “Looking back, it’s one of my all-time favorite projects to have built.”
Finalist: Auburn Landing
In assessing the work he and his team did on building this entertaining barn, Jeff Andrews, president of Auburn Landing, says without hesitation, “We’re artisans.” He refers not only to his builders, but also the tile workers, the electricians, the makers of the custom lighting fixtures, the plasterers, et al. “I view architecture as a true art, but it’s not until the builders execute what’s on the paper that a real art form results.” Auburn Landing responded to the architect’s and homeowners’ directive to express the timber structure both on the inside and outside. “One of the real challenges was the framing,” Andrews explains, emphasizing that the Douglas fir timbers came from British Columbia, while the framing system was largely fabricated in a shop in upstate New York. With a crane, a manlift, and team of workers, the framing element—which is both structural and decorative—was put in place. And working with stainless-steel windows and doors of this scale makes the task even trickier. “When the client is happy with the result, that’s the biggest thrill we get,” says Andrews.
Finalist: Cornerstone Contracting
In order to stay on schedule—especially with the pandemic interrupting manufacturing and shipment—Cornerstone Contracting had to ensure that the interior timber framing on this house situated on the shores of Candlewood Lake began to be assembled prior to the laying of the foundation. As George Pusser, president and owner of Cornerstone explains, “The plans were very, very good, the structural engineer and the architect were experts and, so, when the main framing element was brought to the site and having been built off site, it was lifted and put into place and it fit perfectly.” Establishing a sound foundation required a considerable blasting of natural rock. When inside this expansive home, the complex interplay of timbers is evident, but what is not seen are any of the mechanicals, plumbing works, and ducts. “It takes a lot of planning and foresight to figure out ways to conceal these things in an exposed timber framing.” Cornerstone also ensured that the house was energy efficient, complete with a geothermal system and rooftop solar panels. “The house is as close to passive as you can get,” says Pusser.
