Located in Decatur, Georgia, architect Robert M. Cain has delivered a sophisticating modern design of the RainShine house. The house was built for a couple as a retirement residence with provision for visiting children and extended family members.
As its main feature, the RainShine house has achieved the highest level of “green architecture” through the United States Green Building Council’s LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] for Homes Pilot Program. In other words, the house is the first modernist residence to achieve the much-coveted LEED Platinum level in the Southeastern United States.
The house comprised of two storey building, occupying and area of 2,800 square foot, with three bedrooms and 3-1/2 bath home on a 1/3-acre infill lot. A unique butterfly roof structured with steel beams sheltering the living room, dining, kitchen and guest bedrooms., which floats above continuous clerestories allowing light to come into the interior.
Light shelves around the clerestory sills bounce and diffuse natural light throughout the interior. The butterfly roof is designed to capture rainfall for a rain harvest system located in the basement (Rain) and is oriented to maximize southern exposure for a roof mounted photovoltaic system (Shine).
The objective of the butterfly design with it’s inverted gable, is to simplify rainwater collection, eliminate extensive gutter and downspout systems which usually found in conventional gabled of hip roofed homes. The home features large expanses of thermally broken glazing with solar shades and operable windows. Spaces are defined by “thick walls” containing storage, book shelves, niches, pass-throughs, closets, audio visual equipment, systems, etc. Via
