Overland spent time listening to the client imagine how they would use their house. As they talked through a series of activities, design features emerged that would shape and detail the design. An ice maker in the room where they would gather for drinks. A straight run from the driveway to the water, so that kids could hit the ground and go straight for the fun. Moments of solitude. Opportunities for spontaneous togetherness.

What emerged was a “surprise house,” entirely different from the suburban-style homes surrounding it. Instead of a sprawling backyard leading to the water, the structures appear to be emerging from the water, almost like a series of boats. Instead of a grand façade, the house is nearly hidden behind a modest wall, symbolically protecting the special community behind it against the intrusion of stress and distraction.

To accommodate family activity, individual solitude, and relational intimacy over time, Overland created a compound of buildings connected by a loggia. Pavilions and courtyards reinforce the residence’s orientation to the water.

Building as closely as they did to the water presented design hurdles of its own. The team had to create a check dam to allow them to pour the foundation, and soon discovered that the water table had been incorrectly surveyed. The clients continued to be flexible and practical as Overland proposed a creative solution to flooded ductwork, tucking them into cabinets to avoid a spiral duct system.

Using raw materials and simple structures kept the cost low and enhanced the organic sensibility of the house. Like a family, the house became what it would be, with inherent imperfections in the materials only enhancing texture and adding an aesthetic complexity to the spaces. The home has become a treasured place in their family and an indelible part of their memories and lives.