Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

A Concrete-and-Glass Gem in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley

A Concrete-and-Glass Gem in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley

Designed by Eugene Stoltzfus Architects, this contemporary home harvests sunlight for heating and electricity.

A striking concrete-and-glass home is now up for sale in Harrisonburg, Virginia, about 130 miles southwest of Washington, DC. Built in 2016, the single-story residence was imagined by local architect Eugene Stoltzfus for the current owners, who desired a passive and active solar design with a modern, refined aesthetic. The resulting structure features a glazed facade along the south side, along with an exposed concrete wall that bisects the interior to absorb excess heat.



Recently listed in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, this eco-friendly home incorporates both active and passive solar design. A full-length wall of glass allows sunlight to warm the interior, while a south-sloping roof holds an array of solar panels.

"The details of the house are consistent with the philosophy of the owners, and the simplicity of the way they wanted to live," explains Stoltzfus. The material palette-which includes concrete, wood, steel, and aluminum-was selected to economically achieve the design brief.



Floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of the .34-acre lot. French doors opposite the dining area provide access to a patio that runs beside the structure.

"When you step into the entryway, the columns help to define the edge of the house," Stoltzfus says. "The living room is an open plan with the kitchen at the far end, which appears very simple-but was actually closely designed to make for an efficient use of a very tight space." The layout neatly separates public and private spaces at opposite sides of the home, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms positioned behind the central concrete wall.



Honed black granite tops the kitchen island and a cooking area along the rear wall. Two flanking sets of cabinetry help to further define the space.



"In the area between the wall cabinet and the island, the floor is made of cork, which provides a resilient surface for anyone spending a lot of time in the kitchen," Stoltzfus says.

The nearly 1,600-square-foot home features concrete floors throughout-a cohesive and practical solution. An indoor spigot in the master bathroom allows for easy cleaning.

"It’s a little different than you would find in most houses," Stoltzfus explains. "Since the concrete goes wall to wall without interruption, the [vanity] sits a foot off the floor, and toilet is wall hung. The whole floor is also sloped toward the shower."



A look at the principal bedroom.



A floating vanity topped with cultured marble stretches across the principal bathroom. The space also features a wall-to-wall concrete floor, a wall-hung toilet, and an open shower.

"Overall, the materials in the home were intended to work together-both economically and aesthetically-to create an inviting place someone would want to be," Stoltzfus adds. Adding to the home’s appeal is the scenic landscape surrounding the property-with the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Mountains to the west. Keep scrolling to see more of the home, currently listed for $425,000.



A look at the second bedroom, located opposite the principal suite.



The roof extends at two sides of the structure to form a carport at one end and a covered patio at the other.



The site features flowers and grasses that are native to the Shenandoah Valley. "The house, with its natural materials and simple, functional shape, lends itself to this kind of landscaping," Stoltzfus adds.

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