The Selah House

About the Project

Selah House is a small, 2,247-square-foot home designed for a soon-to-be-retired doctor, incorporating mature environmental strategies. The home is intended to eventually become part of a nature preserve. It was carefully situated in an existing clearing to minimize environmental impact, with very few trees removed.

Designed for a 100-year lifespan, every aspect—from design and materials to systems—was optimized for sustainability. The simple program includes living, kitchen, bedroom, and bath spaces, along with a private garden and a writer’s loft. The home fosters a deep connection to daily cycles, weather, seasons, and local flora and fauna.

Key spatial experiences include:

• Standing in the living room, you are only eight feet from the courtyard to the north and a southern view through the trees across the valley.
• In the master bedroom, sliding glass doors open to transform the space into a sleeping screen porch in the forest.
• From the writer’s tower, the night sky feels close enough to touch, with brilliant stars and moon visible.

Project Team

• Duvall Decker (Architect)
• Engineering Resource Group
• Evans Mill Environmental, LLC
• Chester Valley Engineers
• Jon D Rice & Associates
• Guidi Homes

Publications & Awards

• Publications: ArchDaily, 2021
• Awards:
  • 2023 American Architecture Award (Honorable Mention)
  • 2022 AIA Mississippi Design Honor Citation