ST James Place
Drawing upon the utilitarian forms of a coastal New England fishing village, the new 3,000 SF single-family home is perched on the edge of a steep and rocky site. Nested amongst a collection of simple pitched rooflines, the house stands tall above the sea with sweeping panoramic views of Long Island Sound.
Upon entering, you see through the house panoramically and one feels like the captain of a ship, navigating the vast waters ahead. Like the tides it overlooks, the home's interior is drawn out, overturning the old design adage of 'bringing the outside in'.
The small site was highly constrained and regulated. An easement to the East, coastal setbacks to the West, a narrow lot with bare minimum side yards and a 15' front to the back grade change established the cozy footprint within which the house would rise vertically. Series of terracing spaces ascend from the water to allow the home to comply with flood and zoning regulation requirements. A stone terrace, living level deck, bedroom balconies and family spaces nestled under the roof create dynamic living zones on all four levels, each with its own unique view and vantage point.
A coastal-casual, urbane-sophisticated marriage is emblematic in the use of true, natural, and raw materials. Steel and concrete infused with the warmth of expressed natural wood throughout the house create an edgy materiality.