DRAWING BOARD- Jan/Feb 2012

One of four independent structures created to form a family’s summer compound on a private island off the coast, this communal lodge serves all of the cooking, indoor/outdoor dining, and gathering needs, while the other three cottages contain sleeping quarters.

A unique challenge was the remote site, accessible only by small boat and a temporary, tide-dependent barge ramp. Accordingly, its design resorted to construction methodologies of the previous century, with simple granite block piers employed to anchor the structure and fabricated light-timber framing brought in and hand carried up to the site.

In recognition of the exceptionally exposed and inaccessible location, the exterior materials and detailing are designed for longevity. There is no paint, and natural-weathering western red and eastern white cedar are employed to create soft contrast. Rough-hewn local granite blocks form the chimney and both indoor and outdoor fireplaces. Cedar strips interspersed within the roofing shingles create subtle delineations.   

Aside from a small generator used to pump water up into a gravity-feed cistern, there is no electricity on-site. Cooking and refrigeration are fueled by propane gas, and charming hand-lit gas lamps fed via exposed copper piping provide light for evening reading and ambiance. Due to limited artificial lighting, the architect placed fenestration liberally and deliberately, including windows in closets and a copious clerestory that tops the lodge.   

Location: Camp Island
Architect: Bernhard & Priestley Architecture, Inc.
Builder: Michael Hewes & Company
Landscape Architect: Mohr & Seredin Landscape Architects
Construction: April 2007–May 2009

Bernhard & Priestley Architecture, Inc.: bp-architecture.com, 207-236-7745