Bend in the River

Some of the best historic Shingle Style houses appear as if they were wrapped with shingle membranes cut like wallpaper to reveal openings. They also appear light, like balloons about to float away yet still tethered to the ground. These classic shingle-style ideas were combined with Cape Cod vernacular—weathered gray shingles, and white columns and window sash. The house appears to billow up with the southwest breeze, ever-present on the site in the summertime. The footprint could not, by regulatory mandate, exceed the combined footprints of an existing house, guest house, and oce. This constraint forced judicious allocation of space and led to a relatively compact plan. The porch is just deep enough to give the feeling of a traditional front porch. Despite the constraint, however, the feeling is still of a grand seaside country estate with voluptuous shapes and classic character. The typical front-to-back plan relationship (front facing street, back facing a private yard) would not be effective here, where the best views are perpendicular to the street. Regulations also limited the width parallel with the waterfront. The plan configuration resolves these issues and allows all major rooms to participate in the best, south-facing water views.