“A dream project is one where the owners, architects, and builders are open-minded and ready to explore possibilities in a way that uncovers a unique building and place that would only be that good on that site at that time.”
When starting a new project, Johnson said he likes to walk the site or existing building with the client and ask them about their family, dreams, and how they envision the project taking shape.
“We need to understand to the best of our abilities what is special for each client,” he said. “We search for the heart of the project and find it in different spots, whether it’sthe family’s generational history on a property, their love of wood, or a specific style of architecture.”
For the Spears Hill home, Johnson said the clients were coming together as a new family, and they loved modern architecture and had a good understanding of how the design process worked. “We met at least every other week at the beginning of the project and got suggestions, approvals, and rejections of ideas throughout the design and construction process,” Johnson said. “They were ready to build a home that was just for them.”
The home site is on a hill overlooking Casco Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Maine on the state’s southern coast of Maine. The clients wanted nearly every room to take the long view to the horizon, Johnson said, which resulted in a long linear arrangement of rooms, allowing the occupants to absorb the vastness of Casco Bay from all spaces within.
“Not wanting to cut off the waterside of the house from the roadside, we chose to allow views and foot traffic straight through the building by creating a sort of hole through the primary floor. On entry by car or foot, the view 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 stunning centerpiece. Walls of windows fill each room with sunlight, especially the spacious kitchen, a popular gathering place where the homeowners and their guests gather, creating memories 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