PROJECT at a Glance
Today's goal: Site the architecture on the knoll. Not design — site. Where the building meets the land determines pool terrace elevation, arrival drama, tree preservation, view corridors, and the emotional experience of arriving at and living in this home for generations. Everything downstream depends on getting this right.
THE LAND Tells Us
400-acre former horse farm in Goshen, KY. Abandoned for ~20 years, now being revived as a multi-generational family compound. Three existing structures on-site: the 1815 House (clubhouse renovation with resort pool), a schoolhouse conversion, and a third home slated for demolition. The main home site is the "crown jewel" — a cleared hilltop knoll at the back of the property, surrounded by mature tree canopy.
Orientation
- North faces the open meadow — horses, pastoral Kentucky. Katy's preferred view from the kitchen.
- South faces the forest canopy — privacy screen, up-lighting canvas, pool terrace backdrop.
- East gets morning sun — kids wing + master wing in the schematic. Walk-out basement grade drops east.
- West faces the approach — garage, parking, arrival procession climbing the hill.
- Best views: North (meadow/horses), South (forest depth at night with lighting).
- Worst views: None — total privacy. No houses, roads, or sounds from any direction.
Access & Approach
- ~1 mile private drive from property entrance to home site.
- Drive routing still flexible — can go through the woods or around the pasture.
- Teardrop drive configuration climbing from NW up to the knoll.
- 7 miles of existing trail system connecting all structures on the property.
- Multiple trail entry points from behind the home into the forest.
- Side-by-side / ATV access needed from garage area to trails and broader property.
Grade & Topography
- Home sits on a prominent knoll — crown at approximately 820' elevation.
- Significant grade drop on south and east sides — enables walk-out basement and terraced pool.
- Gentler slope to NW toward the approach — ~12' elevation delta from parking to front door (estimated).
- Contour survey from Heritage Engineering (Feb 18, 2026) confirms knoll shape and tree positions.
- ~3 acres cleared, with option to remove more trees if needed.
[VERIFY] Exact elevations at key points — parking zone, FFE, pool deck, tree line.
Infrastructure & Regulatory
- Water: Being brought from the road via 6" main line. No on-site well for the main house. Pressure is a stated priority (Haydn: strong shower pressure).
- Power: Infrastructure planning underway. Meetings with electricians scheduled.
- Permitting: Property spans 4 separate parcels. Agricultural zoning being evaluated by Destination Design + Oldham County. Expect 30-45 day permit timeline.
- Fire suppression system planned for the home. Fire hydrant placement TBD.
- Propane for outdoor heaters — monthly service delivery available in the area.
[UNKNOWN] Ag zoning impact on grading, impervious surface limits, setback requirements.
[UNKNOWN] Fire hydrant location requirements — could affect landscape layout.
Climate (Goshen, KY — Zone 6b)
- Hot, humid summers (highs 85-90°F). Mild but wet springs. Cold winters with occasional snow/ice.
- Four-season design required. Covered patios with soffit heaters discussed to extend season.
- Katy noted roughly 3 seasons of indoor-outdoor use; winter pushes activity inside.
- Kentucky gets significantly more rain than Utah — drainage and material durability critical.
- Mature deciduous canopy means seasonal light changes: full shade in summer, open in winter.
Adjacencies on Property
- Car barn (separate structure, elsewhere on property).
- Recreation barn for kids — motocross track nearby.
- 1815 House / Clubhouse — resort-style pool, family gathering space, ~7 min drive.
- Schoolhouse conversion for homeschooling the boys + nieces/nephews.
- Livestock: cows, sheep, chickens, horses throughout the property.
- Harrods Creek runs through back of property — future glamping site potential.
WHAT THE SCHNEIDERS Actually Want
Haydn (mid-30s) and Katy (early 30s) — self-made entrepreneurs who built and sold Alani Nu (acquired by Celsius). Four boys, ages ~7, 5, 3, and under 2. Two failed architect relationships before assembling this Dream Team via Instagram/Modern Elm. They are building a multi-generational family compound with extended family (two brothers, a sister, parents on both sides). COVID-motivated: "If that ever happens again, I want my own chickens."
"I've never felt like the pool and spa area is very accessible from the home. It always feels like a separate thing."
— Katy, Initial Call"I don't want to spend $20 million when I could have something that you walk in and you're like, there's nothing like this in Kentucky."
— Haydn, Initial Call"Complete tranquility. No sounds. That is what we wanted."
— Haydn, Initial Call"Intentionality is a really big thing for me. I don't like just tons of sitting spots and filler furniture."
— Katy, Site Visit"They haven't shown me anything so far that feels like exciting or unique or special."
— Katy, on previous architects"I still really love organic, natural feeling. But I do want a little bit of color. I don't want just sad beige life."
— Katy, Initial CallHomeowner Framework — How to Speak to the Schneiders
Lead with: Lifestyle. This couple is building their family legacy. They want to feel transformed by their home — not impressed by square footage. "Your own private Kentucky resort" resonates. "High-quality outdoor amenity features" does not.
Their pain: Two failed architect relationships. Florida and Tennessee designers produced "nice" designs that felt like expensive versions of ordinary. Katy explicitly said nobody showed her anything exciting, unique, or special. They fear getting "a $3-4M Louisville house with a bigger footprint."
Their fear: Decision fatigue (Haydn — "I know it when I see it but can't tell you from scratch"). Getting the flow/layout wrong and wasting space (Katy — their Boca house had 3 living rooms she never used). Overly complicated smart home tech that breaks with no local support.
Their excitement: First ground-up build ever. They've assembled a Dream Team they trust (they called it that). They want creative freedom and bold ideas. They WANT to be pushed — "We're really just excited to give you a lot of creative freedom."
What they need from L64: An outdoor experience that feels inseparable from the architecture. Indoor-outdoor connection is THE priority. Pool/spa must be accessible from daily living — not a separate destination. The arrival sequence should create goosebumps before the front door. Haydn wants dramatic landscape lighting deep into the forest. Old Kentucky materials (stone, split-rail) with a modern twist. Katy wants seasonal color — bright fall foliage, spring flowers, no "sad beige life."
Siting-Specific Drivers
Privacy is non-negotiable — no houses, roads, or sounds from any door. Indoor-outdoor connection is priority #1 — Katy's been burned by disconnected pools in multiple homes. Katy loves the north meadow view — horses, pastoral Kentucky from the kitchen. Haydn wants forest lighting deep into the trees — "just random up-lighting so you can see how far the forest goes." Arrival = goosebumps before the front door — Haydn: "I get it now even, there's no house there. I can't wait to come down the hill and have it glowing." Old Kentucky materials — stone fencing, split-rail, "with a modern twist." Courtyard feel resolved through glass hallway connectors — Haydn no longer needs a traditional courtyard.
WHAT GOES Outside
Requested Outdoor Amenities (from transcripts + plans)
Implied but Not Explicitly Stated — Validate
Missing from Program — Consider Proposing
WHAT WE'VE BUILT That Matters Here
Design thinking transfer — not just building type similarity. Each project carries a specific lesson into the Well House siting conversation.
Modern Elm
Haydn and Katy saw Modern Elm online, reached out to Corey, assembled the Dream Team. The greenhouse dining room was everyone's favorite space — the team called it "magical" and "where the magic is." The pool connection to the living room made a guest emotional. Brandon's landscape work around the glass house set the bar. Transfer: The glass-to-landscape relationship, the indoor-outdoor threshold, and the four-season outdoor living strategy all carry directly. Well House has 400 acres of Kentucky advantage Modern Elm never had.
4th West Apartments
The concept of an "emotional gradient" — calm courtyards transitioning to energetic skyline experiences. Transfer: The Well House arrival sequence IS an emotional gradient. From pastoral farmland (calm) to anticipation (home glowing on the hilltop) to procession (water + stone climbing the knoll) to threshold (the left-or-right decision Haydn described as giving him "a warm fuzzy feeling"). The grade change creates the gradient naturally — we just choreograph it.
The Randi
A 10-ft fire feature as the focal anchor on a tiny rooftop. Scale used to amplify perceived size and importance. Transfer: The glass hallway courtyards and greenhouse dining room are exactly this — small architectural gestures (water features in a glass connector, a glowing greenhouse) that punch far above their square footage in emotional impact. Also: the Randi proved that constraints unlock creativity. The Well House's constraint is the knoll itself — finite hilltop, infinite surrounding landscape.
Hidden Gem
Class A repositioning on a tight budget through design intelligence, not dollars. Transfer: With a $25M all-in budget, the temptation is to throw money at everything. But the Schneiders' own words tell us they fear getting "a nice house with a bigger footprint." Their previous architects did exactly that — spent big, designed normal. Every outdoor siting move should demonstrate that design intelligence is what makes this property unlike anything in Kentucky, not the budget.
WHERE THE BUILDING Meets the Land
The home sits on a prominent knoll. Contour survey confirms grade drops south and east. Approach from the northwest climbs to the home site. Mature tree canopy wraps the south and east edges — privacy, backdrop, and Haydn's up-lighting canvas.
BUILDING FOOTPRINT ON SITE
GRADE SECTION — WEST TO EAST
Five Siting Principles
Ride the Ridge
Long axis follows ridgeline. Both wings get walk-out.
Step Down
Pool terrace below living — terrace with the slope.
Preserve Canopy
S + E trees = privacy, backdrop, lighting canvas.
Beacon North
Glass dining faces meadow — glows toward approach.
Earn Arrival
Park below, walk up. Grade = pause moments.
Session-Driving Questions
→ Where on the ridge does the long axis land?
→ FFE vs. natural grade at the pool zone?
→ Elevation delta from parking to front door?
→ How far into canopy before losing trees?
→ Fire pit — pool vs. forest edge?
→ Front ravine — pond as arrival feature?
HOW WE Think About It
Luxury for One
This IS a luxury-for-one project. The challenge: making a home for six feel intimate. Katy's #1 complaint about previous homes — too many rooms, not enough connection. Outdoor spaces must feel like private retreats, not amenity zones. The master wellness patio is the purest expression: one couple's private spa that happens to be outdoors on 400 acres.
Good Feeling Space
Target emotions by zone: Entry approach = anticipation + wonder. Pool zone = living room extension, not a separate destination. Master wellness = private spa retreat (Palm Heights Cayman reference). Glass dining = eating in a garden. Boys' outdoor play = alive, vibrant — not precious. The arrival procession should shift your emotional state before you touch the front door.
Human Scale
Critical dimensions for siting: Pool deck elevation relative to living room floor — this IS the project. The 6'6" hallway width validated by the team (8' felt too commercial). Stone base height on the greenhouse (too low = flimsy, too high = closed off). Seat wall heights around fire features. Path widths on entry procession. Planter depths in glass hallway courtyards. Every one of these is measured in inches.
Layered Composition
Foreground: Water features at entry, plantings in glass hallway courtyards, the stone/material transitions from exterior to interior. Middle ground: Pool and outdoor dining zones, the grilling patio, the orchard. Background: Forest edge, rolling pastures, views to the greater 400 acres. The master wellness patio layers uniquely: intimate hot tub foreground → forest canopy lit from below at night.
Focal Storytelling
The narrative: You arrive. You drive a mile through pastoral Kentucky farmland. The road winds. You see the home glowing on the hill — the greenhouse dining room is the beacon. You park, you walk up through water features and a focal tree. Pause. Turn. Another moment. You enter. Left or right? The house reveals itself in sequence, not all at once. Each outdoor zone earned, each transition intentional.
Goosebumps
Two candidates for THE moment: (1) Standing in the glass dining room at night — surrounded by plantings, water sounds, fire glow, looking through the home to the lit forest beyond. (2) Walking out of the master bedroom onto the wellness patio — steam rising from the hot tub, trees lit dramatically from below, complete silence except water. That is the photo. That is the catch in the breath.
CREATIVE Tension
Rich Family's Kentucky Estate
Everyone expects a bigger, nicer version of a Louisville subdivision house. Pool sits 50 yards behind the home. Long paved driveway with a motor court. Maybe some nice stone columns at the entry. The outdoor "design" is a lawn, foundation plantings, and a pool deck with pavers. It costs $20 million. It looks expensive. It feels... normal. This is exactly what Haydn said he was afraid of getting.
What If the Landscape Doesn't Look "Landscaped"?
What if the outdoor spaces feel geological — old stone, native plantings, water features that seem like they've always been there? What if the most memorable outdoor moment isn't the pool at all — it's the walk up the hill? What if the forest isn't backdrop — it's a room, lit from within, extending the home's emotional reach into 400 acres? What if "Kentucky estate" doesn't mean big house on flat lawn, but a home that grew out of the hillside itself?
Modern Kentucky Vernacular
Old stone walls and split-rail DNA reinterpreted through contemporary landscape architecture. Glass courtyards with living walls. A greenhouse growing the chef's herbs, glowing like a beacon at the front of the house. Water features that narrate your arrival. The boundary between architecture and landscape literally dissolves — the outdoor spaces don't serve the house, they ARE the house. Nothing like this exists in Kentucky. That's the point.
FIVE MOVES to Explore
The Arrival Gradient
Curate the mile-long drive as a complete emotional sequence. Pastoral farmland → anticipation (home glows on the hilltop) → procession (park, walk up through water + stone + focal tree) → threshold (pause, enter). The 400 acres is this project's unfair advantage — no other L64 project has had a mile of approach to design. Every transition intentional, nothing accidental.
Kentucky Vernacular, Reimagined
Haydn loves old Kentucky stone fencing and split-rail (possibly snake-rail) fencing, "with a modern twist." This is a material language that could thread through every outdoor zone — entry walls, pool terrace edging, fire pit enclosure, trail markers into the forest. Old stone + contemporary craft = a design signature nobody else in Kentucky has. Get reference images from Haydn before or during the session.
Pool as Living Room Extension
Katy's single biggest frustration across multiple homes: pool feels disconnected. The siting determines this — pool deck elevation relative to living room floor is everything. Zero-threshold or near-flush. Slider doors fully open. Modern Elm achieved this and it made a guest emotional. The Well House must surpass it. The pool terrace stepping down with the natural grade (not cut flat) creates the layered composition.
The Forest as Room
Haydn wants dramatic up-lighting deep into the tree canopy — "just random up-lighting so you can see how far the forest goes." This is a Focal Storytelling move: the forest becomes a room at night. From the master wellness patio — lit trees receding into darkness, creating depth and mystery. From the glass dining room — illuminated canopy as dinner backdrop. This lighting concept alone could define the entire property's identity and would be unique in the region.
Glass Courtyards as Living Art
Brian's glass connector hallways between building masses create landscape pockets — not traditional courtyards but framed garden rooms you walk past daily. Water features, shade-tolerant plantings (north-facing glass corridors), seasonal interest. Small spaces, huge emotional impact. Modern Elm's greenhouse was the most beloved space on the property — this concept miniaturizes and multiplies it throughout the home. Haydn confirmed he "doesn't need the courtyard anymore" because these glass moments satisfy the desire.