Riverhouse is a net-zero passive house and studio designed for a rural Rhode Island site nestled into a forest on the banks of the Pawcatuck river. While passive houses are often thought to require limited glazing and to be completely sealed at all times, through working closely with the engineers at Zero Energy Design we were able to maximize window sizes and create multiple connections between inside and outside. These connections include an aperture that opens up the majority of the studio to a deck overlooking the river and a roof deck created at the upper level by carving a hole in the roof allows light down into the kitchen. The project also utilizes sustainably grown timber, local resources and wood-based insulation in order to lessen the environmental impact of both construction and habitation.