CHEATHAM ANNEX COTTAGES AND COMFORT STATION

The cottages at Cheatham Annex were designed to immerse the visitor in a secluded woodland experience. Each cottage is sited to shield the visitor from the view of other cottages and to provide a framed view toward the pond. The woodland setting is expressed in the design of the porch truss framing through a "tree-branch" motif.

The plan called for 16 cottages, including a handicapped accessible cottage, all of which were carefully designed to reinforce the theme of a wooded lakefront retreat and sited to maximize guest privacy and stunning water views. The two and three bedroom cottages, which range from 935 s.f. – 1,225 s.f., are designed from the same kit of parts in a rustic cabin architecture that is efficiently arranged to focus the primary great room views toward the water. The screened-in porches are designed as an exposed timber system with trussing timbers arranged to resemble the branches of a tree - visually reinforcing the woodland setting. The tranquil porch views open up to an expansive vista of water, tree, and sky - blurring the boundary between outdoors and indoors. The rustic theme is continued in the stack bond concrete block foundation, fiber cement board and batten siding and brackets mounted at the entry canopy which further reinforces the tree-branch motif. The structure is a simple single gable with 6/12 pitched roof with sufficient overhangs to protect the building from rain splatter exposure. Simple slab-on-grade floors provide a cost-effective flooring system which eliminates issues with crawlspace moisture and maintenance.

The Comfort Station was designed for simplicity, durability and to evoke a woodland cabin feeling that reinforces both the design of the cabins and the natural setting. The facility houses key guest amenities including cabana-style restroom/shower rooms, a community room, a laundry room, and a vending area, as well as other spaces. This highly-utilized park structure is sited to be a prominent focal point in the park, yet sits close enough to the water to enable easy pedestrian access. Special attention was paid to the outdoor lighting which illuminates the building during evening hours - accentuating the architecture, drawing attention to the structure as a central element of the park, and providing park guests with a safe and welcoming destination. Materials are stack bond concrete block for exterior walls and exposed timber framing for porches and covered walkways. The Comfort Station employs sustainable design features such as low flow plumbing fixtures, Energy Star equipment, and efficient heat pumps, among other measures, to achieve LEED Silver Certification.

Together, the design of the Cottages and Comfort Station work together to enhance the park’s casual, recreational setting – and to create a comfortable and peaceful retreat where service members and their loved ones can relax and reconnect with one another, as well as the natural environment.

The project earned LEED Silver certification in two categories:

Cheatham Annex Comfort Station and Campground - LEED BD+C: New Construction

Cheatham Annex Cottages - LEED BD+C: Homes

"Despite the modest building program and type, the simple and inventive detailing elevated the project... a great example of how excellent design can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary." - HRACRE Award Jurors