House on the Ledge | Elliott Architects

A three-quarter mile driveway leads to a meadow facing south and west with views of the Camden hills. The site contained an existing apple orchard and granite outcroppings hemmed by a rocky coast. The coast wraps the site and creates a peninsula effect with steep, sloping ledge.  The open meadow presented an opportunity to allow light to penetrate deep into the house.  This is tempered by views of the water and carefully placed walls which modulate the space while providing display area. 

The house revolves around a three-story circulation core with a stair and elevator, a sectional element around which the house was organized both aesthetically and functionally. This divides the floor plan into two volumes which are shifted along the north-south axis to optimize views of the bay and maximize solar gain. The building's steel frame projects over its surroundings on an exposed concrete foundation, appearing weightless as the house floats over the site. The home’s north facade is tightly screened from the elements and the driveway, while the south façade opens to the sun and views. The east and west façades stretch down the sloped site to the sea. The building’s complex form creates many different relationships with its surroundings and is best understood by moving in, on and through it.