When the clocks spring forward this weekend, we'll all get to enjoy more daylight hours. In the South in general, that amounts to more time on our front porches.
The front porch plays an important role in Southern architecture. It's a place to chat with neighbors, read the news, enjoy a drink, unwind with music. At Splinter Creek specifically, neighbors often meet at our Community Porch, which we like to think of as the best front porch in the South.
Located on a point on the North Lake, the Community Porch belongs to all Splinter Creek residents. It features a fire pit, boat ties, and a covered pavilion with seating.
"It's place for people to gather, sit on a chair, have a cocktail, watch the sunset, sunrise, stars, grab a blanket, sit next to the fire," says Matt Muller, a partner with the firm that constructed the porch. "Many people have a front porch for their house. This is the front porch for the community."
"The concept for the porch came through several site visits with Splinter Creek's owners to gain a larger understanding for their goals for the property as a whole," Muller says. "As we spent time on the site, paying attention to the winds, sun and seasons, we realized the zone near the tree line was a nice sheltered space that was a good counterpoint to a fire pit. We then developed the linear porch and positioned it along the tree line as the ‘threshold’ from the forest walk path to the fire pit exposed on the peninsula."
