This home was designed after traveling with the owners to the small Azorean Island off the coast of Portugal where they were born. The simple, white stucco surfaces, closed public façade and restrained use of materials take their inspiration from the domestic buildings we visited and recall the vernacular structures of the Iberian Peninsula.

The compact volume of the house was mandated by a series of site restraints, including wetland setbacks, flood plain restrictions, utility easements, view corridor limitations, and zoning setbacks. Two distinct volumes resulted from these circumstances: the closed, taut volume on the west presents a sheltered, private façade to the street and the heat of the late afternoon sun; to the east a freer, open volume unfolds to capture ocean views and breezes.