Gator House

Off a state highway along a "false" river, an actual oxbow lake made by the Mississippi River, lies a skinny shaded site with a 100 year old cypress. Steeply sloped from the road to the lake, a long skinny camp house for summer weekends and fishing seasons will lie. The owners who spent their childhood summers by the water want the same now as adults. Farther from the coast now, they found some of the last available land adjacent to False River to "set up camp."

The camp has 3 sleeping rooms (one master and two bunk) a kitchen (indoor and outdoor) two porch rooms and one long side porch, two bathrooms, and an upper mezzanine. The main bath is split by function and accessed from the porch to allow as many users to engage simultaneously. All the porch spaces maximize ventilation and shade and can be closed completely when the owners go back to the city for work. Metal roll-up doors shutter the building, closing all the porches and sealing the camp. When the owners return they can roll them up and let the lake breezes filter through the skinny form drawn in by large fans.

One of the other requests made by the owner was to make the camp durable and low-to-no maintenance. The buildings skin and roof are made of galvalume metal, corrugated or v-crimp. The porch is made of composite lumber and roll - up metal. The interiors have recycled vinyl flooring or tile and all wet areas will be completely tiled. The kitchen uses reclaimed cypress for shelves and counters. A camp is a wet and dirty space, the site, although it is in an extremely densely populated condition, is still in the country. The Gator House handles these conditions and allow the owners complete relaxation and enjoyment at their getaway.