On the Osterville, Massachusetts, waterfront, surrounded by dunes and wetlands, stands Windswept, a new-construction summer residence whose sinuous Shingle-style design is a subtle salute to its seaside setting.
Gaze at the bell-shaped curve of its rooftop and what do you see? Is it a whale? A seagull? A manta ray? A wave? An ocean current?
John DaSilva, FAIA, didn’t have a particular nautical image in mind when he designed the house, and he really loves the idea that its true beauty lies in the eye of each beholder.
“Multiple readings enrich the architecture,” says DaSilva, design principal of Cape Cod–based Polhemus Savery DaSilva (PSD), a fully integrated architecture and construction firm. “Different readings can come from different people.”
Windswept, which gets its name from the beautiful ocean breezes that whisper seductively in its ears, was designed and built for a couple who have a profound love for traditional architecture.
“They requested a new house to replace the marginally functional non-historic house that had been on their property,” says DaSilva, adding that an existing guesthouse was retained and slightly renovated. “They also sought a somewhat formal character to contain a lifetime of collections of traditional furniture, artwork and antiques—but a formality mitigated by the need to also be a comfortable beach house for family togetherness and fun.”
Windswept, whose dramatic bell-shaped curved roof is clad with red cedar shingles and whose sidewalls are covered in Alaskan yellow cedar, references the neighborhood’s architecture and that of classic 19th- and early 20th-century New England seaside resorts.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Social Experiment
Butler Armsden reimagines a house on Stinton Beach, transforming it into a welcoming space with loads of entertaining space.
Memory Maker
A FATHER BUILDS A DREAM GETAWAY ON FLORIDA'S ROSEMARY BEACH.
Inside Out
Mark de Reus and The Wiseman Group team up to create dreamy estate in Kaupuleh on Hawaii's Big Island.
ALL IS WELL
THE ULTIMATE WELLNESS RESIDENCE IN MEXICO'S BAJA BIG SUR.
NATURAL CONNECTION
LANDSCAPE DESIGNER JOHN SHARP CREATES GROUNDED GARDENS ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST AND BEYOND.
THE RIGHT ANGLE
A MODERN HOME IN SAN PANCHO, MEXICO, IS INSPIRED BY THE BUILDINGS OF LE CORBUSIER.
THE DESIGN OF A COUNTRY ESTATE
PURPLE CHERRY SHARES ITS DESIGNS IN A NEW BOOK.
SUNNY OUTLOOK
A SUNSHINE STATE CONDO SEAMLESSLY MERGES OCEAN VIEWS WITH A NEW STELLAR DESIGN.
BLUE HUES
AN INTERIOR DESIGNER DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM THE SKY AND SEA FOR THE INTERIORS OF AN ABU DHABI OCEANFRONT ABODE.
RAISING THE BAR
With the help of a local designer, a once vacant and lifeless dirt lot adjacent to a primary residence in Manhattan Beach, California, is converted into a functional oasis for entertaining and relaxing.