2021 Winner of the NAHB award for the Best 55+ Community in the United States
A SENSE OF
arrival
Timeless design creates distinct
individuality for attached homes
Active adult buyers are some of the most discerning consumers in the country, especially in the suburban fringe of Boston where new developments are scarce but affluence is abundant. To satisfy the demand for luxurious, highly functional, low maintenance homes, the design team for Winning Farm, led by Gary Snider, AIA, consulting partner with BSB Design, married a timeless plan strategy with unyielding attention to detail. The resulting attached homes truly feel like individual residences.
At the entry, homeowners and guests are immersed in architectural detailing, emphasizing the sense of privacy and reinforcing their decision to “move over, not down".
“Paired homes are the most desirable alternative to detached single family for the active adult buyer,” said Snider. “The challenge is to design them correctly so each unit stands alone, creating a sense of individuality that helps an attached home feel separate.” At Winning Farm, Snider used garage-forward design so each unit would benefit from a fully private courtyard entrance, with detail and drama for a stunning sense of arrival. Framed by a stone wing wall at the front and a quaint, inviting porch at the entrance, this courtyard became a key feature and selling point as potential buyers quickly forgot they were touring an attached home.
A sculptural staircase imparts a sense of layering to the floor plan: Front to back from the entry foyer to family room and top to bottom from the main floor to the loft above.
1. Foyer
2. Living/Great Room
3. Dining Room
4. Kitchen
5. Primary Bedroom
6. Bedroom
7. Bedroom
8. Flex Room
9. Covered Deck
10. Loft
From a distance, each paired home in the community takes on the look of a large coastal mansion, with shingle style elements and highly detailed trim and cladding that accentuate the architecture and work to create a singular vision for the front elevation. Garages load from the front and side, respectively, with massing balanced by the upper floor. The plan layout is so effective at unifying the building that onlookers are never able to see two front doors at the same time. The two units truly look like a large single family residence from the street, and they also live like one inside.
High-end exteriors with four-sided architecture are evident from every vantage point
The unit layout creates opportunities to capture light and views on three sides. High fixed glass in the stair tower highlights incredible volume, while a large slider and a multitude of windows, including a bay in the dining room, visually connect the interior to the rear patio. This natural light enhances the large, connected spaces to reinforce the single family feeling within each unit. “But open planning isn’t necessarily valuable all by itself,” said Snider. “Big spaces don’t inherently feel good unless they have definition and emotion.” He noted that, “The volume in these plans is appealing because it intentionally accentuates each room, creates visual sightlines and introduces natural light.”
In this community, residents arrive home to an environment filled with character and charm. The intricately detailed, highly authentic design is well-suited for the area. At Winning Farm of Winchester, the unique way these attached plans achieve the functionality and appeal of detached single family living is the biggest win of all.
The unified elevation design makes it nearly impossible to distinguish one unit from the next, and authentic shingle style elements establish strong character throughout the community.
