Coastal Shingle Style

Old Greenwich, Connecticut

This new 6,500 square foot "Coastal Shingle Style Residence" is located in an R-20 Zone on .4783 acres (20,834 sf) in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. Old Greenwich, the first organized community in Greenwich, was previously known as Sound Beach. This was a shoreline resort community in the late 19th and early 20th centuries consisting primarily of beachside cottages. Today this coastal neighborhood consists mostly of traditional turn-of-the-century-homes, many designed in the Shingle Style, creating a sense of scale and community.

Most important to the client, while making the most of the allowable square footage, was to design a new residence that respected the scale of the neighboring homes. In addition and equally important, they wanted to take advantage of their views of the Long Island Sound. Not being directly located on the water created the challenge of maximizing the water views. The property across the street had a 50'-0" view easement which became the central home design criteria. Having the main entry access on the side of the residence with a Porte Cochere limited the maximum number of rooms to face the water. Porches and balconies were integrated into the design to provide outdoor living space while reflecting the nautical and New England Shingle Style Architecture traditions. A rooftop balcony offered a third floor panoramic view of the Old Greenwich Shoreline, Greenwich Cove, and The Long Island Sound.

Central to the design of this residence is the core three story foyer / atrium. This space provides circulation to all floors, including the roof balcony while providing natural light to the center of the residence through a series of clerestory windows including an elliptical cupola.