Englishman Bay Retreat

North of Acadia National Park, Englishman Bay is known for its rocky, rugged coastline and pristine natural landscape. An undulating shoreline made up of protected coves and calm waters makes this Downeast area a favorite among sailors and kayakers.

On a coastal site with dense woods, our client would often walk from his family’s camp through the spruce and birch to a secluded pebble beach, over time wearing a path under the canopy of trees. Decades later, with young children of his own, he approached us to design a home for his family along the same path.

Our clients envisioned a home of simple forms and a rustic camp feel. They sought warm, inviting natural materials that would blend in with the surrounding forest. It was important to them that the house have a low environmental impact, and that most of the surrounding trees be kept intact while allowing gaps for ocean views.

We arranged the spaces within the house along the path of the sun, so that eastern morning light comes in through the kitchen, and evening sunsets are visible in the bedroom wing. In addition, the quiet part of the house faces the protected cove, while the public part faces the wide-open ocean.

The house is anchored on one side by an entry tower resting on a board-formed concrete base. Above the entry is an office with a staircase to the rooftop deck. By locating this perch at the top of the entry tower, we maximized views through and above the tree canopy. From inside the entry tower, you simultaneously can see the path ahead to the next room, views outside the house, and views to farther-away parts of the house as well. This allows for playful interactions throughout.

Separated by a sliding door, a three-season porch with tall windows on either side connects the kitchen and dining area with the bedroom wing. This wing features a master suite and two kids’ bedrooms with a shared bath. In the master, corner windows allow for the maximum amount of view, making the room feel open and spacious. Like the house itself, the views are carefully curated so that pockets of ocean, distant headlands, and sky are visible.

The use of natural and local materials is prevalent throughout the house. The outside of the house is clad in eastern hemlock from a Maine wood mill. Interior walls and ceiling are locally sourced eastern white pine while naturally rot-resistant Douglas fir was chosen for structural columns and beams.

For our clients, this home is not only a place for their family to gather, but represents an intersection of paths—the old and the new, the well-worn and the just beginning.

• Locally Sourced Building Materials: The harvesting and processing of the wood used for siding and wall boarding supported Maine’s local wood industry and was shipped short distances.

• Light Touch on Site: By using columns the design did not require the extensive site disruption of a more conventional foundation.

• Compartmental Building Envelope: The family using this home can live in about 1/3 of the house in the winter months and use other spaces in warmer seasons.

• Stewardship: We hope that experience and memories of this place, made over generations, will inspire an appreciation for earth’s natural beauty.