The House in Walnut is a collection of artifacts and dreams, symbolically connecting the ecologically rich French Broad River valley to the tea-covered hills of Darjeeling – our clients’ birthplace. The house is perched 150’ above the ancient river, where the only interruption between the overlooking decks and the choppy water’s edge is the daily Norfolk Southern train to Tennessee. The home is intentionally divided into contrasting spaces meant for silence and sound – retreat and response. A sound-dampened listening room bleeds into a distended observation deck set upon a trestle, while a meditation room sits quietly beneath an active, working kitchen. The three main volumes of the home frame a central void to highlight the topography of the site, guided by art and memory to heighten the senses.