Marsh House

Chappaquiddick, Massachusetts

The owners found the original house while kayaking on the stream that passes within a few yards of the house. They fell in love with the location, especially the marshes and the feeling of being surrounded by nature. Being so close to the water, the original house was grandfathered in, so it was possible to rebuild a new structure. Some of the new piers required deep helical piles to ensure stability in the marshy soil. There is no basement, so in case of flooding the house simply lets the water flow below it and out the other side.

Design was highly collaborative and explored different options—ranging from a two-story cottage-style house to modern flat roofs with horizontal lines.