We feel like we’re outside all the time. It can be the darkest day of the year, and it is still light in here.Owner
For this island home, previous clients returned to request a new, more compact house reflecting their growing interest in energy efficiency, local materials and economy of space. Located on a site with gentle rolling fields and 100-foot bluff dropping to water below, a primary request was to integrate the house with the spectacular surrounding landscape and natural elements.
The design concept forms a T-shaped plan with amply glazed public spaces framing multiple views. The configuration allows the house to shelter outdoor space from bay winds while a tower gives the home office perch dramatic views over the site and beyond. Sustainable design features include hydronic in-floor heating, a solar hot-water array, and materials sourced from within 100 miles from the site.
Breezeways lead everywhere, like architecturally carved paths through a meadow, blurring edges between indoors and out. Floor-to-ceiling glass throughout acts as a passive solar collector, prompting the owners to remark, “we feel like we’re outside all the time. It can be the darkest day of the year and it is still light in here.”