New Project: Binnacle Hill Residence

We are proud to introduce our latest project, Binnacle Hill Residence! It was a true honor to work with longtime collaborator—and client—Geoff Bowley of Bowley Builders on the design of his family home in Kennebunkport.

Near Goose Rocks Beach, Bowley Builders is developing Binnacle Hill, a wooded neighborhood with large ledge outcroppings and winding drives. Together with Bowley and landscape architect Soren Deniord of Soren Deniord Design, we identified a ledge outcropping as the entry point at a high point of the site. Our site-specific design angled the house just east of south for ideal solar exposure, while the primary living space was situated toward a sunny lawn space against a wooded edge for supervised but private child play. A central courtyard-like plan features a garage wing and a bedroom wing connected by the primary living spaces with ample glass around a north-facing courtyard where ferns and woodlands come to meet the house. A wooded buffer conceals the driveway from the house. "This was a great collaborative project and works on many levels, formally, functionally, aesthetically, but I really appreciate the way the architecture seems to effortlessly respond to and engage the site," says Deniord.

To accommodate Geoff and his growing young family, we designed the house to include a spacious but contained playroom, an ample pantry and storage, a large garage, playful children's rooms, and a private primary suite. "We were partners on the project throughout the duration," says Bowley. "Their process and mine are similar, so it facilitated the decision-making and the overall flow of the construction."

As a builder, what Bowley appreciates most about the design of his home is its siting. "The house is in a subdivision with some larger parcels of land, so there was a need to consider the approach of the home, the sun, utilities, neighbors, and privacy. The design and the siting of the building continued to impress as the structure came out of the ground and, eventually, as you are living and experiencing the building after move-in day," he says.

"The house's relationship with the land and the elements and the exterior cladding—the natural wood tones and the metal standing-seam roof—are unique but seem entirely consistent and natural relative to the house's surroundings. Because of the shape and functionality of the home, the exterior is constantly present from different vantage points within the building. As a result, the natural landscape, the siding, the roof, all have a constant presence in your day-to-day living in the home," he says. Read more about the project and view the images here.

‍