House on a Wharf | Elliott Architects

This new residence on a small coastal harbor occupies roughly the same footprint as the original building which had stood since the early 20th century. The old structure had many uses over the years. In addition to servicing the steamers arriving along the coast, it at various times functioned as an apartment house, a laundromat, and a summer home. To shore up the site the stone wharf has been raised and the new house is placed on piers to comply with floodplain regulations, elevating the structure above the high tides that periodically washed into the living room of the previous building. A deck wraps the first floor perimeter grounding the new building and creating outdoor spaces that take advantage of the inimitable site and provide connection to the tiny guest house/studio that sits adjacent, suspended on piles above the water below.