BOLD Construction wins NC Modernist’s Prized 2022 Matsumoto Award

Tucked away in the hills of Chatham County, just outside of the Governors Community, sits a modern gem with a Chapel Hill address. As you turn into Lystra Preserve and careen through the secluded road that reveals and hides itself at every bend, you might just miss the turn into this modernist oasis. Dubbed a “modern minimal luxury ranch,” this home has beauty, symmetry and functionality all in one. 

The homeowners aren’t the only people pleased with this stunner. The home, designed by Thoughtcraft Architecture and built by BOLD Construction, won the prestigious Matsumoto Award in 2022. The George Matsumoto Prize is North Carolina’s highest honor exclusively for Modernist residential architecture. In addition to winning the Matsumoto prize, the BOLD home won the 2022 AIA SAR Design Award. 

“It’s interesting that the jury’s top selection was a little more postmodern than we usually see – it’s beautifully handled, and there’s a flat roof component that makes it more modern,” says NCMH executive director George Smart. “There was a very clear consensus on the Lystra Preserve home being the top one for its simplicity, detail, elegant seating, modular nature and different pavilions.”

The architect describes the effort as celebrating routine movement, making you aware of the slow rhythm  of time and providing moments of Zen. “Architecture is a long process, and it’s always exciting to see it come together. And it’s even more exciting when it’s really a work of art. At the end of the day, we’re just really delighted and excited and thrilled to win this.” says Jason Hart, owner of ThoughtCraft. 

BOLD Construction took on the challenge of building this unique home, and the results speak for themselves. “It’s an amazing process to collaborate with open-minded clients and experienced modern design partners. It’s such a rewarding experience to bring a smart and elegant concept out of the ground and see it come to life.” says BOLD Construction owner Jason Dell.

After spending most of their lives living in large homes with limited functional space, the residents desired a home that would engage the outdoors and invite them to move and live freely in a retirement-friendly environment.

These goals, along with the wooded property, led ThoughtCraft to conceive the home around movement, natural light, and a feeling of calm. The home is divided into four pavilions: sleeping, living, auto, and recreation. This separation serves to both elongate and shift experiences as you move through. Movement occurs from one pavilion to the next via an attached hall – the ribbon that ties them together. This ribbon transitions you from inside to outside and back; moving along courtyards, shifting views and scales of spaces.

The living pavilion and swimming pool set up a formal line of symmetry, while landscaped courtyards further soften and anchor the pavilions. The forms are detailed with a modern sensibility and make use of a series of wood slat screens to shade the southern sun, mediate privacy, and provide an ever-shifting play of light and shadow throughout the year. This home celebrates routine movement, making you aware of the gentle rhythm of time and inviting moments of contemplation.

For lasting durability, Shou Sugi Ban Accoya wood was selected for the exterior. Accoya is created through a process that yields a non-toxic, recyclable, highly stable, and insect-resistant wood and comes with a 50-year warranty.

The owners loved soft gray tones that interplayed with light and acted as a neutral backdrop to the color pop of nature’s greens. The Shou Sugi Ban Accoya siding was lightly charred to raise the wood grain and then scraped with a wire brush to add a modern texture and sealed with a lasting finish. The result is a beautiful texture with a velvety appearance in sunlight.

The separation of sleeping, living, auto/storage and recreation space into different buildings is described as helping its owners move through all of the home throughout their days. The site also features small landscape courts between each pavilion, an entry court garden and a swimming pool deck bordering two of the pavilions.

BOLD was proud to collaborate with the architect and owners to build this amazing and award-winning home.