Located on a sloping forested site (common in East Tennessee), the requirement for ADA access required control of scale and space not to bring an institutional appearance to the property. The vernacular of the single family rancher utilizes a base of steps and terraces that was reinterpreted to create a unifying architectural site wall element that concealed a new ramp to the elevated main floor level of both the existing and new residences. Elevating the residence at the top of the slope ultimately allowed the residence to sit at eye-level with the downhill tree canopy, so it truly feels like a tree house. Photo: Denise Retallack