The Sun House

This new private residence was designed as a summer getaway for a large, extended family and an eventual retirement home. Set on a private 2-acre lot in Charlestown, Rhode Island, this house sits atop the highest point of the property. The plan of the house revolves around the path of the sun. The master suite on the East wakes with the sun, and travels through the kitchen and dining area, and sets on the western side with the living room and screened porch. The second floor deck provides a beautiful view to the ocean that is less than a mile away. Conceived as three main structures placed on top of the hill as the contours allow, the approach to the home from the street below will be as much a part of the experience as the journey through the house. A two story living area with a central fireplace, gable end windows, and loft balconies at both ends greet your entry which is marked by a small roof intersecting the main body of the house. The tall, slender trees outside the windows filling the site match the tall interior spaces. Follow the balcony above, or the rhythm of the windows on the south facing facades to the open kitchen and eating area and enjoy the southern light and pleasant hillside views. A second floor loft hallway above the kitchen leads to the master suite and is filled with natural light from the clear story windows opening the entire second floor to the southern skies and distant ocean view.