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A neat, timber-framed niche at the entrance allows occupants to take their shoes off and keep them in the mud room across the hallway before proceeding to the house’s main spaces.

Dwell Magazine : September / October 2017

The Far Cabin by Winkelman Architecture is set on the forested coast of Maine.

McFarlane wanted to create opportunities for the client to experience the "intimate moments

"The views and access to sunshine were really the key considerations that helped us position the home,

"We were interested in this idea of treading lightly on the site. Using a green roof is a logical extension of that. When you introduce a building that supplants a little piece of the forest floor, it's nice to replicate that on the roof as a return gesture to continue to create habitat for birds, animals, and plants, and to help manage the flow of storm water," explains McFarlane.

Illuminated roof lanterns beckon to visitors, who must descend a forested roadway to approach Bowen Island House.

Roof lanterns illuminate the kitchen and dining area during the day. They are a low-maintenance alternative to skylights since they don't allow the forest's debris to accumulate and potentially block the natural light overhead.

McFarlane credits the windows system's thin profile and its ability to secure very large panes of glass for the seamless indoor/outdoor effect they achieve.

"The stairwell is one of my favorite spaces in the project,

Two covered aeries located off of the living room and the master suite (pictured) provide the client with a generous outdoor living space, rain or shine.

"They had this really beautiful ambition of creating a place where they could really experience the natural environment with their growing family,

Bowen Island House layout

Bowen Island House floor plan

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Cousins River Residence floor plan