Project Description

The house is elevated 20 feet above the flood plain to provide 360-degree views of marsh wilderness.

DRPILLA provided structural engineering design for this rustic two-story house raised above the flood plain on forty-foot cypress columns. The walls are canted outwards to create the effect of a glass-bottomed boat and flood interior spaces with water-reflected light, while drawing the eye out to views of Harris Neck River and the sprawling wetlands of a national wildlife refuge. In plan, the house bends to the north, like a swamp creature, hovering high on its thirteen legs.  The open living-dining area leads northwards to a sequence of private spaces, including a master suite tucked into the narrow “prow” of the house with three-sided views of Blackbeard Creek and the surrounding marsh. The south end is anchored to the flood-prone site by a three-story blockhouse of rough-faced stone that contains the main entryway and staircase, as well as a guest bedroom and kitchen.

ARCHITECT
Barnes Coy Architects
SERVICES
Structural Engineering
COMPLETION
2010