Tidewater House

A family of four wanted a house that could take a nor'easter and still feel open to the water on a calm morning.

The site is a narrow coastal lot with exposed ledge rock and a long view south-east over the bay. Rather than lift the house up to the view, we set it into the slope and let a single long roof step down toward the shoreline.

Charred cedar cladding wraps the weather side; the sheltered courtyard side opens with full-height glazing and deep reveals that cut the summer sun. A light scoop above the stair brings morning light to the centre of the plan.

Charred cedar, white oak, honed limestone and hot-rolled steel — four materials repeated inside and out, chosen to age without paint. Triple-glazed windows and a heat-pump system keep the house close to net-zero across the year.

Energy use

~22 kBtu/sf/yr

Glazing

Triple, low-e

Structure

Timber frame

Duration

26 months