A thorough study of views, sight lines, and spatial adjacencies provides this Peaks Island house with striking views of Casco Bay from nearly every space. The house prudently takes advantage of southern exposure and passive solar design concepts. The central staircase acts as a meeting point on the second floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to the water, a reading nook with views to the trees, and two north-facing skylights that fill the space with a warm, ethereal glow.

The architect creatively navigated multiple site restrictions to take advantage of a buildable area while maximizing natural light, views, and privacy. The site’s location within a flood zone propelled the architect to design a pier foundation with a light touch on the land. A significant slope from the north side of the house to the south side works with the structure rather than against it: the most active entry is on the northern side (only a couple of feet above the natural grade), which eases the transition to the house for all. The land slopes nine feet on the home’s southern side, and the team took full advantage of this by turning two areas under the house into covered outdoor spaces with magical water views.

An essential element of LR/ARC’s work is to fit within the neighborhood context. This can be seen in the gabled form, weathering cedar shingles, and horizontal board siding. The interior common space was carefully curated to create distinct yet connected spaces for the kitchen, dining room, and great room. The limited and natural material palette in both the interior and exterior provides a warm and calming environment.

Location: Peaks Island
Architect: LR/ARC
Builder: W.E. Bunton Construction
Interior Designer: Morrison Design House
Engineer: Trillium Engineering Group
Landscape Designer: Soren deNiord Design Studio
Construction Start: Winter 2022
Construction Complete: Winter 2024