Modern Rustic Lodge

Set against the wooded ridgelines and quiet valleys of Elkins, West Virginia, this project reimagines an aging two-story residence as a warm, contemporary dental practice shaped by the region’s enduring relationship with landscape and craft. Here, mountains, forests, and shifting Appalachian light serve not as a backdrop but as active design influences—guiding how the building is expanded, opened, and renewed.

The new addition grows from the existing structure much like a timber pavilion emerging from the hillside. Broad gabled rooflines echo the profiles of nearby mountain peaks, while exposed trusses and natural materials—stone, wood, and glass—acknowledge the area’s longstanding tradition of hand-built construction. These elements are not merely aesthetic; they are calibrated to register the environment. Morning light filters through large panes of glass to gently illuminate the reception and treatment areas, while deeper overhangs temper summer suns and shelter visitors from mountain rain.

Stone masses anchor the building to its site, reinforcing the sense of permanence expected of a healthcare environment. Meanwhile, the transparency of the façade creates a welcoming, approachable presence—inviting patients into a space that feels both restorative and familiar. The interplay of glass and timber allows the architecture to act as a mediator between professional precision and natural calm, offering a retreat-like atmosphere uncommon in clinical settings.

Through adaptive reuse, the project honors the memory of the original residence while confidently stepping into a new purpose. The result is a dental office that feels distinctly rooted in its Appalachian context—an architecture that balances modern clarity with the warmth, resilience, and quiet beauty of West Virginia’s mountain landscape.