COURTYARD COOL

This family compound represents a fresh deconstructed take on Nantucket tradition.

-  Jennifer Sperry

FOR ANDREW KOTCHEN, THE PROJECT’S DESIGN EMERGED EARLY ON, DURING THE INITIAL SITE VISIT.

Visiting at the request of his clients, prepurchase, Kotchen saw right away that the Nantucket property—set back from the ocean and shielded from view by the surrounding natural landscape— represented a unique opportunity to push the boundaries of modern architecture on an island known for its historic Greek Revival and Quaker homes.

Kotchen had lived and worked on Nantucket before founding Workshop/APD with co-principal Matt Berman. Since its launch in 2000, the New York City–based firm has grown to include 85 architects, interior designers, and product designers: an impressive multidisciplinary team that adapts easily from luxury penthouses to relaxed seaside retreats.

Nantucket’s famously strict building codes regulate the overall height, roof pitch, cladding, and even trim colors on new construction and renovations, with the goal of protecting the town’s historic character. Since the clients’ chosen site is well-screened from public ways, Kotchen and team enjoyed more design latitude than usual. Taking full advantage, he dreamed up a uniquely modern series of pavilions encircling a vibrant courtyard garden.

“Our clients ultimately hire us for our modern point of view, executed through a progressive vernacular voice,” explains the design principal. “This site presented us with an opportunity to create something exciting—something completely different— and we were fully onboard.”