Solar Work of Robert Foote Shannon

Solar Work 1996-2007

Long House Rennovation, Fence, Tables, Chairs

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Over the years additions were made to the Long house. The long arched-span was filled in with a garage and studio above, bowed in plan to reflect the arch and to show that it is an insertion. A living room bump was added on the north, and a dining room extension on the south with a spa beneath it. Various stairs and balconies protrude. What was once an abstract wall has become an armature for collage. The latest additions are 2 dipping pools with enclosing walls and a tool shed cylinder with an above viewing deck.

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Reflectors over direct gain windows add semi-diffused light to the interior, increasing the heat gain in winter and partially shading the windows in summer. A large 2 story collector heats the ground level, which can have a wide range of temperatures. The octagonal collector has an entry and exit port at the top and bottom corners, the shape preventing dead spots in the airflow. The bottom 2 tiers of windows on the curved lounge wall are actually collectors driven by the photovoltaic panel mounted below. On the interior the collector is built into the insulated banquet seating which lines the wall.

The untreated pine siding of the original was replaced by stained cedar and was recycled into paneling in the great hall inside. The coffered lounge ceiling is sheathed with quarter inch fibre-board made from waste sawdust. Hardwoods came from a sawyer in the view shed, and both the slate flooring and cut stone came from nearby quarries.

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A triangulated fence runs the length of the driveway to the Corner House of the inn, undulating to avoid trees, and changing height to block views of the adjacent property where needed. One angled shim of artificial wood was placed at each bolt joint to shift the angle of the adjacent triangle forward or backward. Since it is self-bracing, there are no concrete footings.

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Some furniture for the inn was made on-site. The breakfast tables were made of local cherry and maple with legs and cross-braces of aluminum. The eco chairs use one 4x8 piece of plywood to make 4 chairs. The deer chairs are made of local cherry and ash. The 4 raptor stools, like the eco 4 chairs, emerge from one sheet of plywood. Lastly, the two parts of the lawn chairs, made from artificial wood, slide apart and then together for storage. They are very heavy and, therefore, resistant to blowing over in the wind.

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The most recent addition is the A-chair. Using the seating profile of the classic Adirondack chair, materials and details were changed to creat durability and elegance of stance. The frame is of aluminum, the seat and back of artificial wood (90% recycled material), and the fasteners of stainless steel. 11 of these were crafted for the inn grounds in 2012.

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