Phase Two of Silverock Cove is proving to be as magnetic to lake lovers as Phase One. The cottage designs in Phase Two vary slightly from the first phase without loosing an ounce of the charm. These homes naturally adapt to the elevated topography of the land in Phase Two and offer treehouse views over one of the most beautiful areas of Smith Lake.

Ten of the 25 homes in Phase Two are under contract and under construction. Like Phase One, which has 27 of the 31 homes sold, sales are steady and consistent. And the cold weather isn’t slowing things down a bit. In fact, winter is the perfect time to bundle up the family and take a Saturday or Sunday trip to Silverock Cove to look around.

The New Home Designs in Phase Two:

One of the many uniquely beautiful things about Silverock Cove is the spectacular shape of the land. Silverock sits on a peninsula that juts out into some of the most beautifully pristine parts of Smith Lake. From any given lot or home there, the lake view graciously wraps itself around you. The natural paths through this place are another one of the thoughtful and strategic touches that make the connection to nature simply seamless.

The first paths installed at Silverock Cove were built on the South side of the peninsula where the land is slopes gently to the water. Made from traditional railroad ties, they wind through the preserved trees just along the shore. On the opposite side of the land, the homes sit a little higher on flat boulders that naturally cantilever out over the water. So the paths there had to take a different turn. These paths along the shore are made from natural decking and are precisely formed to the natural flow of the land—rising and falling, twisting and wrapping—all in perfect flow.

The next time you visit Silverock, take a walking tour along the paths. At every turn, there is something a little more breathtaking than before.

I’m Chris Luker, a photographer based out of Birmingham, Alabama. My profession challenges me to capture “a thousand words” in one compelling image. Fortunately, with projects like Silver Rock Cove, that’s not a difficult task. Here are some of my observations made while witnessing this incredible community take shape through my camera lens.

Chris On the Conservation

When I first arrived at Silver Rock Cove, it was a peninsula covered in trees and absent of homes. It’s been almost three years since developer, Carter Hughes, commissioned me to photograph the development. During that time I have witnessed an amazing transformation. The raw beauty I discovered on my first impression is still present today. The land retains its wildness. I can still see a Luna Moth resting on a rock, beautiful grey sandstone boulders home to brilliant green moss, a southern pine towering overhead, or two oaks framing a picturesque view of Smith Lake. Conservation has played a large role in this development. What SRC has changed has been done with respect to nature with recycled railroad ties, new seedlings, and flagstone entrances, all adhering to the integrity of the land.

Chris On the Architecture

The architecture at Silverock Cove responds to the site and the site returns the favor. I have noticed a relationship here between design and environment that creates a special tension. The architecture and site work in harmony. Wood-clad homes function as lake cabins surrounded by woods, reminding me of what a cabin would have looked like many years ago. In Vincent Skully’s book The Natural and the Manmade, he describes Palladio’s villas as having a tension between vernacular tradition and stylistic rhetoric. At Silverock Cove, the tradition of the cabin plays off the traits of old mountain homes and barns in addition with clean lines, refined spaces, and rustic natural elements in details and materials. Scully describes this duality as practical and romantic with the land. This community is special. It works and is totally in tune with its purpose and environment. Silverock Cove is more than a community, it’s more than a retreat. It is a work of art.

Silverock Cove interiors have an abundance of windows—sometimes from the floor to the ceiling, other times not. Bathed in natural light, these interiors become an extension of the exterior. Views are virtually unobstructed of the beautiful Silverock Cove environment. This relationship allows the dweller to experience nature from the comfort of a favorite sofa or chair. Phillip Johnson’s iconic Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut is a great example of this extension from interior to exterior space. Louis Kahn asked the question, “What does the building want to be?” A home in Silverock Cove answers with seamlessness between inside and out, twenty-first century cabin with timeless, ageless appeal.

Chris On the Photography

Honestly, words fail in conveying the qualities of Silver Rock Cove. I am grateful for the language of photography. An actual onsite, physical experience is the only way to grasp the relationships I’ve described, but hopefully my photographs will inspire a viewer to see and explore this unique community in person. I try to capture something larger than the individual, not out of interest in self-expression, but in an attempt to connect with what is visually there, the communion between architecture and surroundings. I try to capture moments that resonate in my soul and communicate it through photographs.

Chris Luker is a member ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers), a contributing photographer for Silver Rock Cove and B-Metro Magazine and a professional architectural and commercial photographer. Find out more about Chris and his work at lukerphotography.com.