Barrier Island House

Vero Beach, FL, USA

Photo © Sanders Pace Architecture

Photo © Bruce Cole

Drawing © Sanders Pace Architecture

Photo © Bruce Cole

Architects: Sanders Pace Architecture

Location: Vero Beach, FL, USA
Year: 2012

This project is located on the Intracoastal waterway in an area where it is common to bulldoze modest mid-century homes in favor of supersized replacements which dwarf the original scale and character of this quaint neighborhood. In contrast, when below grade plumbing issues necessitated the demolition of the existing house we set out with the goal of reducing the building footprint. The result is a smaller house which respects its context, one which maintains the scale and character of its midcentury neighbors while accommodating new programmatic goals including a loft level, a detached workshop, and an abundance of outdoor space. Improved efficiencies allowed this program to occur within a smaller amount of conditioned space. In order to preserve the many mature live oak trees on site, all new construction was contained within the original building footprint. As with most projects within this hurricane prone environment, stucco clads the primary concrete volume of the house while dark brick and cedar are used as secondary materials cladding accessory volumes and surfaces. A series of 10’ tall hurricane resistant sliding glass panels lends transparency to the primary public spaces while offering uninterrupted views and direct access to the waterway.