Architects: OPAL Architecture
Area: 1,228 m²
Year: 2017
Photography: Trent Bell
Lead Architects: Matthew O’Malia, Riley Pratt, Timothy Lock
Design Team: OPAL Architecture
Contractor: Callahan Construction
Structural Engineering: Becker Structural Engineers
Environmental & MEP Engineering: Petersen Engineering
Interior Design: Stedila Design
Landscape Design: Sasaki
Lighting Design: Peter Knuppel Lighting Design
Client: Alnoba (Private Foundation)
Location: Kensington, New Hampshire
Country: United States
Completed in 2017, Alnoba “Everything Passive House” in Kensington, New Hampshire, is a 1,228-square-meter community and leadership center designed by OPAL Architecture. Commissioned by Alnoba, a private foundation dedicated to social and climate justice, the facility exemplifies the fusion of regional vernacular architecture with advanced sustainability practices. The building, which achieved Passive House International (PHI) Low Energy Building Certification, is strategically positioned within a 242-hectare rural property to engage its natural context while minimizing environmental impact. Conceived as a series of barn-like structures, it uses locally sourced materials—timber, white cedar siding, and granite—to reinterpret New England’s rural aesthetic. Large expanses of glazing and ridge skylights draw daylight deep into the interior, creating spaces that promote connection and reflection. Behind its simple, tactile expression lies an intricate technical system that allows the building to host large gatherings while maintaining rigorous energy performance.
In the heart of rural New Hampshire, OPAL Architecture’s Alnoba “Everything Passive House” presents a refined dialogue between place, performance, and purpose. As a center for leadership training and community engagement, the facility reflects Alnoba’s mission to foster environmental stewardship through both education and example. The project extends beyond programmatic needs to demonstrate how the most rigorous energy standards can harmonize with the vernacular language of New England’s agricultural past.
Set at the threshold of meadow and forest, the design adopts the sectional qualities of a traditional bank barn, allowing the landscape to shape the building’s footprint. The arrangement of interconnected volumes follows a clear, functional hierarchy that transitions from smaller, contemplative rooms to expansive gathering areas. Granite-faced foundations anchor the structure, while varied patterns of white cedar siding provide a nuanced surface texture that subtly changes with light and season. The careful integration of dark-framed glazing blurs boundaries between interior and exterior, ensuring that nature remains ever-present in the visitor’s experience.
Internally, the sequence of timber-framed spaces creates a narrative of scale and craft. A reclaimed entry frame welcomes guests into a calm environment defined by wood, stone, and plaster, while locally fabricated trusses support the main meeting hall’s 60-foot span. The rhythm of exposed frames evokes the honesty of traditional barn construction, enhanced by the play of daylight filtering through ridge glazing and slatted gable screens. These details transform utilitarian building forms into a contemplative architectural landscape.
Behind this simplicity lies an impressive feat of technical coordination. Meeting Passive House International’s stringent standards required meticulous control of air sealing, thermal bridging, and energy recovery systems. The inclusion of a massive six-foot-tall fireplace—a symbolic and functional centerpiece—tested the limits of airtight design. Through precision detailing, including an airtight chimney and a dedicated make-up air system, OPAL achieved a balance between warmth, comfort, and energy efficiency.
Alnoba “Everything Passive House” is both a performance benchmark and a cultural statement. It reaffirms that community buildings can embody environmental ethics without sacrificing material richness or regional identity. In merging local craftsmanship with forward-thinking construction science, OPAL has created a project that stands as an enduring reference for sustainable rural architecture—an embodiment of the values it was built to inspire.
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Project Location
Address: 24 Cottage Road, Kensington, New Hampshire, 03833, United States
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
