THE DRAWING BOARD – September 2013

The owners of this property on a marsh set out to create a home that maximized the 180-degree views. The lot—part of a small subdivision—is mostly free of trees and has a gradual grassy slope. The clients used a handful of adjectives to describe what they wanted in their home: crisp, contemporary, simple, innovative, minimalist, and energy efficient. Kevin Browne Architecture created a design that would embody these terms and more. 

The resulting design features a simple series of white, clapboard, gable forms. The gable forms start small at the garage end of the house and grow larger at the main part of the house. The two main-house gable forms are identical in size and bisected by a flat-roofed “transept” form. The “transept” is cladded in stained cedar tongue-and-groove siding to contrast the other forms of the house. The windows are also very simple, with a high U-value for better efficiency and low maintenance. Special attention was paid to the building’s thermal envelope to include high R-value insulation and also to minimize thermal bridging. 

The interior is clean and minimal, with drywall returns at the window and door openings and a simple wood windowsill. A floating steel and wood stairway is a design focal point that will be visible from most areas of the open first-floor plan. At the top of these stairs is a steel and wood catwalk that bridges the interior space of the two main gable forms. 

When complete, the homeowners will be able to entertain comfortably or just relax in their private backyard oasis. 

Location: Cape Elizabeth

Architect: Kevin Browne Architecture

Builder: Redfern Homes

Landscape Architect: Soren Denoird Design Studio

Construction start: July 2013

Construction complete: March 2014

Kevin BrownE Architecture: 
kevinbrownearchitecture.com, 207-847-3499