Mu Shin is a state of mind in Zen Buddhism considered to be an absence of pre-occupation or a “letting go of the mind.” This is the name our client chose for her farm in rural Georgia where she raises horses and donkeys. We believe the home is where one should feel this state of mind and be at peace. This is promoted through a connection to nature. The home harnesses natural light, features natural materials, and offers expansive and framed views of the landscape.
The homeowner tasked us with designing a Japanese-inspired farmhouse. Her love of Japanese culture is expressed in all aspects of the home from the deep hip roof soffits and engawa porches to the shoe removal storage at the front entry. The exterior of the home is clad in shou sugi ban siding, a traditional Japanese technique of charring cedar to give it long-term durability and a rich dark color. The Japanese-inspired techniques and materials are paired with more local, rural Georgia vernacular including corrugated metal roofing and southern yellow pine soffits and interior ceiling accents.
Like traditional southern shotgun homes, the structure is designed one-room deep to facilitate cross-ventilation and connection to the outdoors. The master suite and the main living wings meet at a 126 degree angle to take advantage of pastoral views. The main living volume is oriented for ideal passive solar exposure and solar-ready rooflines. In the winter months, the sunlight streams through the three sets of over-sized sliding glass doors into the kitchen and dining space to warm the thermal mass of the concrete floor. This supplements the wood burning stove and hydronic radiant heating system embedded in the flooring. The home is designed to minimize the use of forced-air heating and air conditioning systems. It harnesses nature both aesthetically and functionally to create place at one with its surroundings.
(Photos below represent in-progress conditions. Japanese gardens and other landscaping yet to be installed.)
