The House on Harper's Island

Take one private island of just one & a half acres, throw in a tiny piece of woodland surrounded by salt marshes, a pond, a creek & the sublime Nantucket Sound. Add to the mix the fact that the Architect is restricted to designing & building on the footprints & heights of the 2 dilapidated 1940s Sears Roebuck kit-house cottages that exist on the site. Oh & BTW, the only access to the site is over a 300-foot-long footbridge.

Solution: The larger cottage's footprint became the southern most wing of the house, incorporating the living spaces & the kid's bedrooms. The smaller one became a stunning master bedroom suite carefully & sympathetically connected to the larger wing & with 2 cantilevered bay windows added to allow for additional natural light. Finally ensure that all the decks follow the existing deck areas & voila, a home of incredible beauty & style that is truly connected to its spectacular surroundings & the delicate eco system of the island.

All images Polhemus Savery DaSilva Architects/Builders