Bourassa Residence, Maine
This project started as an addition to a summer cottage in Maine, as seen in the photograph above left. However due to the siting in a flood plain and the many requirements, local, state, and federal, that impacted the house it was decided to demolish the property and build anew as seen in the rendering on the right.
The basic design of the addition had been set by the time of the decision to demolish the existing house so that the final design was a combination of the original cottage form and the new addition. The constraints however proved to be fortuitous as more useful exterior space was achieved.
Side entrance to house and the upper deck
The house had to be raised above the level of the flood plain and was set back from the water front, thus gaining an extended sitting area and a loggia under the house on the ocean frontage.
The clients wished to maximize the view on the lower floor so the living, kitchen, dining area are integrated into one space. However in order not to make this space too undefined this main room is broken up into distinct areas by using the arch and the square cased openings around the kitchen.
The living area is separated into two areas by columns and a large flat arch which defines an enclosed porch and a sitting area around the fireplace as seen at the right. The fireplace was built to replace the original fieldstone one. The kitchen and dining areas are also separated visually by flat cased openings.
