The clients asked for an “extraordinary home”. That was it; and after a bit of probing - to create one that would cantilever into the treetops, overlooking Lake Wylie. At the same time they wanted to stay grounded and sans stairs to climb in order to grow old in this new dream home.
So a set of stone walls were cut into the hill with the house placed on top, creating level terraces in the hill side. The home was left careening over the artificial cliff, providing views for all the primary spaces. The clients got to enter on a ground floor that takes them hovering into thin air at the edges.
Bio Over a quarter century of experience in the world of design and construction comes to bear on Toby Witte’s work. German by heritage and upbringing, born in Peru, Toby has had the privilege to study architecture, building science, drafting, and construction in Germany and in the USA.
Between various employments with architect, engineering, and construction firms, he graduated cum laude from the School of Architecture at UNCC. He ran his previous design/build companies Dialect Design and Qube11 for over a decade until he founded Wittehaus in 2017.
Other prizes n 2004 he received the Medal & Henry Adams Certificate of Merit by The American Institute of Architects, and in 2018 the People's Choice Award of the North Carolina Modernist Houses Matsumoto Prize. Among other publications Toby’s work has been featured by Dwell, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Toby is the acclaimed author of Supersizing Bliss - How we have betrayed our Homes and the Happiness we Seek, an award-winning book about how we have come to regard the houses we live in and ideas and insights on how to create them better. He has been a frequent podcast guest, sharing his thoughts about the world of modern homes.
