Ipswich Shore House

  • Notes:

    This house replaces a small “camp” built in the 1930’s on the Ipswich river with panoramic views of the ocean coastline and river estuary.  The site descends steeply from the rear of the site to the rivers edge, therefore subject to multiple Conservation overlay districts.

    Due to the nature of the hillside site the home is embedded into the slope with a half-story retaining wall at the rear of the structure’s living area.  The descending grade toward the front of the site allows for a new garage-under which will provide on-site parking for the owners and guests.

    The design endeavors to delicately transition between the natural grade and the home through a series of retaining walls and surface walkways, which serve the dual purpose of also providing level areas for new septic and drainage systems.

    Ipswich has a height limit of 25′ and as a result the elevation of the house steps back from the road in a single story covered porch at the front of the house, to a two story house toward the center of the site.

    The home is rendered in a “shingle” style in keeping with the coastal community aesthetic.  A series of gables and dormers articulate a scale between the older cottages and the new homes on this road in transition. Covered porches and continuous roof apron allow the family to enjoy the natural amenities of the site, while protecting the house from exposure to the elements, and providing depth, texture, and scale to the home.