Great Island Residence

173.C_1

174.C_4

175.C_3

176.C_2

177.C_5

Set in the fragile environment of the Cape Cod coast, this vacation house for a busy executive couple with a large, multi-generational family presented an ambitious program. It had to provide comfortable living space for one, two, or many; to integrate interior and exterior spaces both physically and visually; and to emerge gently from the scrub-growth surrounded dunes.

KITE’s solution provided a group of familiar shingled, gable-roof pavilions informally arranged and linked by transparent flat-roof connectors that form a cohesive whole whether viewed from the land or the sea. Mahogany windows, doors, and trim are stained a transparent red to give an energizing splash of color against the time-honored silver-grey of the weathered cedar shingles. The organization of space allows both for an intimate experience for the couple in two adjacent pavilions and for large gatherings in the interior and exterior spaces that extend from them. Simple detailing inside and out reinforce the clarity of the program. While the compound evokes the ad-hoc qualities of rural houses in southern New England, the vigorous massing and crisp detail distinguish this as a strikingly modern yet timeless composition.

Recognition