The Twigs Lane development was created by C. S. Carpenter, a lover of contemporary architecture. Located in a wooded area about a mile south of State College opposite Harris Acres, all dwellings were required to be of the modern style. While substantial in a time when the average home size was about 1,000 square feet, they are now of average size for the region. The Lane is marked “private.”
Hallock had previously built a home for Margaret’s brother and wife on a steep site in West College Heights. The Riddles admired this house and others and selected Phil to design one on their wooded location. Robert was Vice-President of Research and Operations Engineering at HRB-Singer (now a Raytheon facility). He later co-founded Locus Corporation.
The dwelling has a finished walk-out basement on the down-hill side, shown above. The central area is the great room, with dining and kitchen to the right and sleeping quarters to the left. The house is currently undergoing a substantial restoration and remodeling.
From the entry approach, the house appears to be a ranch type.
Board fences enhance the apparent size of the home. The basement also has a window wall.
The two-toned brick and free-standing design are rather different for Hallock. The fireplace is accessible from both sides.
The great room features a unique floating ceiling to provide indirect lighting. The track lights are a later addition.
