The Greenprint: Organic Architecture as a Model for Residential Living

Abstract

This Master of Architecture thesis by Michael Rehrig explores organic architecture as a design methodology grounded in response to site, response to material, and quality of space with a focus on a proposed residential site in Blacksburg, Virginia. "Planted" within the landscape amongst the Blue Ridge Mountains, the dwelling space engages with the region's topography, climate, and vegetation, fostering a natural interrelationship between structure and landscape. Local materials such as timber and stone are celebrated for their natural and structural properties, guiding both construction logic and aesthetic expression. The dwelling space prioritizes the quality of space through the display of scenic landscapes, acoustics, and everyday movement, creating natural dwelling spaces that evolve with seasonal and daily rhythms. By embedding the architecture within its surroundings—both physically and conceptually—the thesis argues for a design ideology that minimizes environmental disruption while enhancing human experience through natural landscape. The resulting work is a study in how architecture can be defined by landscape, emerging from the land, informed by nature, and contributing meaningfully to its cultural and ecological setting.