Peninsula House

A new year-round family house was built on this dramatic peninsula site extending into Long Island Sound. The existing conditions at the outset of the project included lawns sweeping down to the water and a tangle of invasive species at the property perimeters. Given the sensitive ecology of the natural setting, the landscape was modified with restraint: editing out the invasives, buffering the coastal habitat with native species and protecting and then pruning the few sculptural trees that frame the magnificent views.

A simple elevated bluestone terrace surrounded by a locally quarried granite retaining wall provides a gathering space for the active lives of three generations. Drifts of indigenous salt tolerant shrubs, grasses and perennials enhance the undulating edge of the shoreline while granite outcrops punctuate and enhance the foreground views.

Architect: Duo Dickenson Architect