Caleb Johnson — Architect
“A dream project is one wherethe owners, architects, andbuilders are open-minded andready to explore possibilities ina way that uncovers a uniquebuilding and place that wouldonly be that good on that siteat that time.”
When starting a new project, Johnson said he likes towalk the site or existing building with the client and askthem about their family, dreams, and how they envisionthe project taking shape.
“We need to understand to the best of our abilities whatis special for each client,” he said. “We search for the heartof the project and find it in different spots, whether it’sthe family’s generational history on a property, their loveof wood, or a specific style of architecture.”
For the Spears Hill home, Johnson said the clients werecoming together as a new family, and they loved modernarchitecture and had a good understanding of how thedesign process worked. “We met at least every otherweek at the beginning of the project and got suggestions,approvals, and rejections of ideas throughout the designand construction process,” Johnson said. “They wereready to build a home that was just for them.”
The home site is on a hill overlooking Casco Bay, aninlet of the Gulf of Maine on the state’s southern coast ofMaine. The clients wanted nearly every room to take thelong view to the horizon, Johnson said, which resultedin a long linear arrangement of rooms, allowing theoccupants to absorb the vastness of Casco Bay from allspaces within.
“Not wanting to cut off the waterside of the house fromthe roadside, we chose to allow views and foot trafficstraight through the building by creating a sort of holethrough the primary floor. On entry by car or foot, theview out to the bay is always front and center, so youdon’t feel like you are on the back side of the building at any point.”
Other design touches include custom colors and tiles,while a staircase of aluminum and oak creates a stunningcenterpiece. Walls of windows fill each room with sunlight,especially the spacious kitchen, a popular gathering placewhere the homeowners and their guests gather, creatingmemories and soaking in the awe-inspiring coastal views.
— Excerpt from New View: A Curated Visual Gallery: Twenty Magnificent Homes by Northeast Architects
Photography by Trent Bell
Photography by Trent Bell
Photography by Trent Bell