Three Mile Harbor House / Bates Masi + Architects

Scenic shorelines tend to be subdivided finely, maximizing water access to the greatest number of inhabitants. The lots in this neighborhood take that principle to an extreme with small slivers of land ten times deeper than their width. Given that new construction must retreat from the shoreline, this leads to houses stacked closely side-by-side along a common setback line, each reaching for optimal views. These factors create challenges for privacy, daylight access, and air circulation. Accordingly, zoning laws prohibit each structure’s height from exceeding its horizontal distance to the property line, further narrowing the building envelope. In this context a builder and mariner sought to create a home with the efficiency of the boat he once lived on, creatively adapted to address the site’s challenges.