Project Description
DRPILLA provided site / civil and structural engineering design to convert the existing 1960’s era ranch-style Main House into a three-seasons retreat for a family of outdoor enthusiasts. The scope also included the design of a new detached two-story boathouse featuring a game room, bar and pool table, boat storage and a guest suite. To comply with the Town’s stringent land use restrictions and set back rules, we were required to maintain most of the footprint and portions of the existing structures. To deliver the client’s vision of an Adirondack-inspired fishing camp, our team was able to add a dramatic second floor level while preserving the first-floor wall plate heights.
ARCHITECT
Eric J. Smith Architect
SERVICES
Site / Civil Engineering
Structural Engineering
COMPLETION
2016
A Dramatic Double-Height Ceiling
One of the most challenging aspects of the project was raising and rotating the Main House’s central roof to accommodate a large cross-axial, gabled space featuring a double-height ceiling, two-story high windows and an expansive stone hearth. The light-filled room became the center of the house offering expansive view to the north and south bay. In the kitchen area, we increased the perceived ceiling height by removing the existing ceiling finishes and cladding the joists, gaining an extra ten inches of space and volume in between. Oak planking was used for the floors, walls and ceiling throughout to support the camp-like feeling.
Rustic Multi-Purpose Boathouse Design
The multi-purposed boathouse preserved the original footprint of the garage and features a game room, guest suite and boat storage that achieves a weathered look that could have been original to the property. Reclaimed materials, exposed wall studs, roughly hewn rafters and rescued floor planks create an authentic feel of a late-1800’s utility structure. A new full basement included a hydraulic lift that provided access for additional car and boat storage. Situated close to the ocean, these newly rebuilt structures meet all hurricane codes with steel tie-downs and structural connections hidden in the timberwork.
The Ultimate Three-Seasons Retreat
The boathouse and the reconfigured Main House, with a new wrap-around porch, are connected by a fire pit and outdoor seating area. The protected courtyard offers extraordinary views of the secluded island peninsula bounded by woodlands and the inlet of the Atlantic Ocean.
