London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 29, 2026

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.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Met Office Issues Extended Forecast Highlighting Stable High Pressure Weather Patterns Across the United Kingdom
Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison Outlines Changes to Tax Thresholds and Residential Property Levies in Edinburgh
Financial Markets and Government Bond Yields Remain Stable Following Muted Reaction to Autumn Budget Measures
Defence Committee Chair Tan Dhesi Criticizes Budget for Delaying Critical Defence Spending Decisions to Next Year
International Monetary Fund Forecasts United Kingdom Economic Growth at One Point Three Percent for Year
Office for Budget Responsibility Assesses Fiscal Headroom Reduced to Fifteen Billion Pounds Following Global Energy Shocks
Chancellor John Healey Delivers First Autumn Budget Introducing Household Energy Support and Bank Tax Hikes
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Faces Binding Vote Challenge as Local Councillors Launch High Court Legal Battle
Housebuilding Across Scotland Falls to Eleven-Year Low Despite Government Declarations of a Housing Emergency
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown Organizes National Innovation Summit in Manchester to Boost Regional Competitiveness
UK Government Faces Mounting Criticism Over Lack of Environmental Consultation During Artificial Intelligence Datacentre Expansion Talks
Greggs Announces Closure of Four Major Manufacturing Facilities Across Britain Resulting in Seven Hundred Forty Job Losses
British Retail Consortium Warns That Cumulative Employment and Regulatory Costs Threaten High Street Price Stability
Lloyds Banking Group Chief Executive Charlie Nunn Warns That Increased Bank Taxes Could Deter Long-Term Economic Investment
Ipsos Polling Reveals Seven in Ten Britons Expect Personal Tax Increases Amid Deep Public Economic Pessimism
Chancellor John Healey Delivers First Autumn Budget in Parliament Amid Tight Fiscal Constraints and Slower Growth Forecasts
United Kingdom Finance Monthly Review Highlights Rising Long-Term Borrowing Costs and Persistent Energy Price Pressures Across British Markets
Royal Marines Pioneer Rapid Autonomous Drone Operations During Major High North Exercise Involving NATO Allies
House of Commons Justice Committee Urges Chancellor to Align Prison and Courts Reform Ambitions With Concrete Budgetary Resources
Government Investigates Rapid Artificial Intelligence Datacentre Expansion Strategy Following Scrutiny Over Power Grid Demands and Planning Backlogs
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Warns Third-Party Supplier Breaches Threaten United Kingdom Police and Fire Service Data
Number of British Businesses in Financial Distress Reaches Highest Level in Two Decades Ahead of Fiscal Announcement
Chancellor John Healey Prepares Autumn Budget Amid Intense Market Scrutiny Over Fiscal Headroom and Spending Pressures
Education or Indoctrination? The Growing Debate Over Religious Participation in British Schools
Germany's Vanishing Shopfronts: The Silent Collapse of the Businesses That Built Its Cities
Northern Ireland Executive Reaches Agreement on Public Transport Modernization and Cross-Border Rail Infrastructure Funding
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Approves New North Sea Carbon Capture and Storage Industrial Clusters
Office for National Statistics Reports Stabilization in Private Rental Growth Across Major English and Welsh Regional Cities
United Kingdom Automotive Manufacturing Output Rises Moderately as Electric Vehicle Assembly Lines Expand in the Midlands
Competition and Markets Authority Launches Formal Inquiry Into Cloud Computing Infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence Partnerships
Scottish Government Finalizes Emergency Budget Adjustments Following Multi-Year Public Sector Funding Shortfalls
National Health Service England Announces Major Emergency Care Overhaul to Alleviate Severe Winter Capacity Pressures
Chancellor Rachel Reeves Prepares Autumn Budget Amid Intensifying Scrutiny Over Public Spending and Fiscal Rules
Bank of England Signals Cautious Approach to Further Interest Rate Cuts as Persistent Wage Growth and Inflation Pressures Remain
Transport for London Unveils Expanded Zero-Emission Bus Fleet to Meet Capital Air Quality Targets
Higher Education Institutions Face Deepening Financial Strain Amid Declining International Student Enrolment
Automotive Industry Leaders Criticize Government Tax Policies and Urge Action on Retail Consumer Confidence
Environment Agency Issues Flood Alerts Across Scottish and English Waterways Following Heavy Rainfall
Independent Audit Highlights Persistent Security Vulnerabilities Across Legacy Government Digital Portals
Northern Ireland Political Leaders Clash Over Westminster Funding Allocations Ahead of Autumn Budget
Ethnic Minorities in England Face Significant Disparities in Routine Breast Cancer Diagnosis Rates
National Police Chiefs Report Alarming Surge in Domestic Abuse Cases Fuelled by Expanding Illegal Cocaine Market
Government Announces Two Hundred and Twenty Million Pound Pothole Funding Boost for Local Highway Authorities
China Issues Formal Warning Over Potential United Kingdom Restrictions on Chinese Electric Vehicles
British Defence Ministers Sign E5 Pact to Enhance European Military Capabilities and Industrial Cooperation Within NATO
United Kingdom Business Activity Expands at Fastest Pace in Eight Months According to S&P Global Flash Survey
Chancellor John Healey Prepares Major Devolution Package and Bank Profit Surcharge Ahead of Upcoming Autumn Budget
National Health Service Consultants in England Announce Two-Day Strike Action Scheduled for November
Major Clean-Up Under Way Across Britain Following Destruction Caused by Consecutive Storms Austen and Boelo
KEY TRENDS TO WATCH
×