Little Island Road

Private Residence

On the end of a peninsula overlooking Buzzards Bay and the Atlantic, we met every known protected environmental resource – from eroding coastal bluffs to bordering vegetated wetlands, to freshwater marshes. The entire Little Island Road property sits within a velocity flood zone. We achieved everything our client wanted from the Conservation Commission, the Building Department, and the homeowners association. The home and pool cabana are on stilts so they don’t wash away in a freak storm, and the various project parts fit like a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. Another issue is the gale-force prevailing winds off the water. To mitigate that and still enjoy views to the bay, we kept reorienting the building, spinning it by a degree or two until we found the sweet spot of little wind and open views. Accomplishing an expansive feel with great indoor-outdoors connections, it was a special challenge to shoehorn the house, garage, driveway, cabana, pool, and spa into the limited, highly regulated space. Custom-designed wrought fences styled after classic Beacon Hill Juliet balconies bring a link to the clients’ city home. Nature creeps right up to the living spaces for a cottage nestled in the woods by the bay.

Collaboration

Building Architect: Chip Webster Architects

Swimming Pool and Spa Construction: Viola Associates

Landscape Construction: Francisco Tavares Inc.

Civil and Environmental Engineering: BSS Design

Total Landscape Project Cost: $975k

Resources Galore

The protected natural resources controlled by the Conservation Commission include bordering vegetated wetlands, a velocity flood zone, an eroding coastal bank, and salt water marshes. We were able to create an extraordinary setting while respecting all of the protected resources.

Changes in Elevation

Whenever we have the opportunity to work with changes in grade, it’s a chance to make things more interesting. From ramps to walls to steps to sloped ground and terraces, using plantings and light and often water courses, the options are limitless.

Simple Outdoors

The railing design is derived from Beacon Hill’s famous Juliet balconies, the kitchen gives all that a good cook would need outside a fully equipped home kitchen, and the steps down to the pool accentuate the different functions of the two spaces.

Pool and Spa Getting Installed

Our construction-phase services include regular coordination with all the trades that contribute to a project. This way we iron out the inevitable wrinkles that come up in every project. Close observation, working with regulating agencies, and regular client updates mean that our projects inevitably come in on time, on budget, and with very high quality.

A Sheltered Place

By changing the orientation of the house at the center of a small peninsula, spinning it about 3 degrees counter-clockwise, we were able to significantly cut this terrace’s exposure to the heavy prevailing winds, while still keeping views open to the water.

Project Lead

David Bartsch

DBLA understood the goal and made sure the contractor delivered. It was a solid design. David Bartsch did a great job with the Conservation Commission.

K. Curran

CEO of national printer manufacturer