Residence 1446

Situated in a low-lying field adjacent to both a lake and a quiet lagoon, Residence 1446 was the final element of a master plan that includes a guest house, pedestrian bridge, pool, and boathouse. Arranged around a central courtyard and characterized by its distinctive, copper-clad roof profiles, this one-level home responds quietly and sensitively to its serene wetland surroundings. The design aims to respect and enhance the home’s unique site, while maintaining a balance between opening up to the landscape and maintaining the owners’ privacy.

The layout of the home is simple: two wings defined by thick limestone walls are connected by a transparent volume containing the living and dining spaces. The north wing contains the bedrooms, and the south wing contains the garage, media, storage, laundry, and kitchen. The home’s east-west axis emphasizes a procession from the auto court through the home’s main spaces to the landscape beyond. The north-south axis is a more functional route that links the main house with the boathouse and guest house.

From the auto court, rough-hewn, locally-sourced limestone walls punctuated by narrow slots draw visitors into the courtyard. Here, the home reveals a glimpse of the expansive site through two walls of uninterrupted, butt-glazed windows. Arriving at the front door, the architecture restricts the view once again, as the focus turns to a copper pivot door framed by a narrow sidelight. Entering, visitors find themselves in a warm foyer featuring limestone floors and Venetian plaster walls and ceilings. A stair of African sapele wood leads to a lofted game room.

Turning left at another thick wall of roughback limestone reveals a spectacular sight: a 1,000-square-foot great room bounded only by glass on both sides. The architecture frames the landscape, disappearing through the transparency of the glass walls, while clerestory windows flood the space with natural light. The limestone floors and walls appear to travel through the house from interior to exterior, reinforcing the connection to the site. The centerpiece of the living area is an 11-foot wide fireplace with a soapstone hearth and weathering steel hood.

A generous, curved wet bar for entertaining guests separates the kitchen from the dining area, while a large island provides the ideal surface for food prep. A large terrace extends from the great room, with a set of broad, gentle steps leading down to an expansive lawn, which in turn extends to the edge of the lake itself. Adjacent to the kitchen is an outdoor living area shaded by a deep overhang that extends along the kitchen and great room.

In the private wing containing the master suite, media room, and two bedrooms, a continuous gallery wall runs opposite floor-to-ceiling glazing. The bedroom windows frame views of the wetlands that line the private lagoon.