SALT house is a renovation located on an Eastern Connecticut coastal salt marsh. The project utilizes the footprint and perimeter framing of an existing structure that dates to the early 1990’s. By eliminating hip roofs and stripping the existing massing down to primitive geometric forms, the design transformation seeks to reorganize the interior program while maintaining open views to the coastal landscape beyond. Living spaces are oriented toward water views of the Long Island Sound, pushing service spaces toward the street. A central staircase anchors the primary spaces, around which program pivots without disrupting views. Two double-height volumes provide access to a compact second level, reinterpreting and modernizing the ‘widow’s walk’ a common feature of neighboring historical homes.
The exterior is clad in western red cedar, which extends as lattice in front of windows, functioning to provide privacy and limit solar heat gain. The project additionally utilizes solar energy, in response to both passive and active design considerations. The shifting geometry of the original homes’ footprint creates resultant exterior spaces that correspond to interior program and activity. Lattices and planting define an entry courtyard that mediates the space between interior and exterior while beckoning toward the water view beyond.