SIGNAL

People: The Shell Collector serves a family that has nurtured this waterfront land for over 30 years. Their vision is to create a warm residence that reflects their family’s history of craft, from a century of high-end leatherwork to concrete construction, and supports their family’s need for connection with nature and each other.

Architecture: Primarily targeting 40% of the footprint of the home, the design uplifts the experience and capability of the entire home. A simple shift in the gable roofline creates a light-washed great room that directs and opens the home towards the bay and makes room for a kitchen, fireplace, gathering areas, and a library. Balancing the new structure with the existing character required design balance and restraint from vision to detailing. The existing and new spaces will be seamless, connected by a ribbon of glass and openings that reconnect the family with the sea.

Research: The project is located on a sensitive waterfront site, so the limits of the structure must remain within the original footprint, with no disruption to the shoreline edge. This prompted our team to work stepwise and highly collaboratively with the construction team during design, verifying site access according to environmental regulations and the influence this might have on design possibilities. By bringing the design to connect with the family’s values and respond to the site’s restrictions, the result will reflect a lifelong commitment to ecological considerations, and the family’s deep relationship with a very special place.