The architect in this case, Arielle Condoret Schechter, worked with Newphire Building to optimize passive solar heating and cooling by orienting the house properly on the site and by specifying beefy overhangs that protect the home from the elements. The overhangs keep all but the most extreme wind driven rains off the wall assembly reducing the opportunity for water damage. They also help out with energy efficiency as they keep the sun's warmth out of the house when you don't want it. Cooling is more of a challenge in our super insulated, super tight homes than heating, so it is good to have the house working as a system.
This photo was taken at around 1 p.m. EST on July 26th. Pretty much mid day, mid summer. You can see that the shadow line from the overhang falls almost perfectly at the foot of the wall.
It should be noted that a lot of architects DO NOT pay attention to orientation, overhangs, or where to have windows or not. An improperly sited home, or one with little to no overhang will be working against nature, and we know how that will go...
