Taking It All In: A Busy Concord Family is Grounded by a Panorama of the Seasons

The original marketing material for Deck House, Inc., the company that built many thousands of kit-of-parts houses all over the country and abroad since its inception in 1959, is meant to be inspirational:

“The Deck House concept, as developed by its designer, Mr. William J. Berkes, evolved from the recognized need ... for a contemporary house that would satisfy most of the requirements of a considerable segment of the market. This should be a house of exemplary materials and construction... Deck House tries to satisfy many common desires - an organic house that will tastefully relate indoors to outdoors and make it possible to enjoy both simultaneously... There are also the more subtle psychological urgings often contradictory, as in the wish to be free, uncaged, and yet to be enveloped and protected - to be an intimate witness to a winter storm, and yet be sheltered and warm - to live as a non-conformist, and yet to be accepted as a respected citizen of the community. ... we made the satisfaction of these needs the underlying premise of the Deck House concept.”

Bill Berkes designed his own Deck House here in Concord in 1962. He only lived in it for a short while, but the following two owners lovingly cared for the home for more than 50 years. In 2016 ownership transferred to a new couple, both architects by training. I asked them what drew them to the house initially. “Upon entering the living room and seeing the expansive view of the wetlands, we knew immediately we’d found our next home. The thoughtful siting of all of the homes in this neighborhood maximize outdoor, private ‘rooms’ as well as views. We looked at many houses with views, or that successfully brought nature in through large windows, but none incorporated all of this so succinctly as this one,” said the homeowner.

These Mid-Century Modern houses for “Everyman” are newly of interest for their historic significance as architect-designed, quality-engineered housing constructed in the tradition of fine craftmanship. But they can also be successfully updated for modern living. Shifting regulations, values and priorities require renovations with careful planning so as to preserve the Deck House concept. These homes can be successfully updated for modern living. The homeowner elaborated some of the projects:

“... the previous owner had replaced all of the windows with insulated glass. Ultimately, we reconfigured and updated the kitchen and bath to better accommodate our family’s lifestyle. We treasured the original double-sided fireplace, but it could only be ornamental, and the heat loss there was significant. So, we opted for a high efficiency wood burning insert which can heat the entire home on milder nights. We overhauled the HVAC system with whole house heat pumps - high efficiency heat, utilizing electricity through about 85% of the heating season.... We hope to blend the timeless qualities of the original home with sought after amenities of modern living.”

The existing patio was replaced with permeable materials, and retaining walls rebuilt to incorporate terraced garden beds to better control erosion.

Residential architecture is an intimate study of the design of the environment, and I believe our homes influence our character and that of our children. When asked to comment on this theory the homeowners agreed:

“... the design absolutely impacts our family behavior. The expansive windows in every room invite constant interaction with nature and exterior views. The orientation results in morning light streaming into the kitchen, and relaxing views of the wetlands from several living spaces and patio. We both work from home, and are lucky to have our office space overlooking the wetlands.”