New Work In Progress
Over 25 years and hundreds of successful projects later, we remain committed to design that is lasting and noteworthy, and craft that sustains, inspires and works in harmony with the beautiful, natural environment.
Here we share select projects in progress. These three distinct houses—designed to meet individual client ideas and site needs—are now being built and landscaped in three different Cape Cod environments.
- Location
- Seaside, Lower Cape Cod, MA
- Scope of Work
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Architecture
Landscape Architecture
Construction
Endless Horizon
Located on Nantucket Sound, this house faces south and has captivating panoramic water views. With a contemporary design and taut detailing, the house embodies two distinct characters—a smooth-boarded front façade and a shingled rear. Floor-to-ceiling windows at the back and sides frame the spectacular views.
CHALLENGE
The neighborhood is full of traditional houses, but our clients wanted something a little different. Our challenge was to accommodate their aesthetics, while also being a good neighbor.
DESIGN INNOVATIONS
The clients envisioned soaring ceilings, and we brought that vision to life with thoughtful design elements. Transom windows, ceiling shapes and finishes, and lighting design all work with proportional control to create grand, but inviting and livable spaces.
“People think of the Cape as having a unique character, but it has many different natural and architectural characters. We’re proud that we can succeed in design work in very different contexts, and at very different scales.”
- Location
- Seaside, Lower Cape Cod, MA
- Scope of Work
-
Architecture
Landscape Architecture
Construction
Mermaid’s Haven
PSD has completed three projects at this spectacular oceanfront family compound, and is currently working on a fourth. The client has assembled the site by acquiring multiple adjacent properties and PSD has created a comprehensive master plan that unifies the entire site.
CHALLENGE
The principle challenge has been to create unity between an existing PSD renovated house, a new pool and pool house, a new hilltop house for family members, a garage/guest house currently underway, and an existing house that could possibly see a future renovation or new house.
DESIGN INNOVATIONS
Casual, whimsical, fun-loving describe the clients’ lifestyle on the property. The architecture is intended to reflect this wonderful way of being.
“Casual, whimsical, fun-loving describe the clients’ lifestyle on the property. The architecture is intended to reflect this wonderful way of being.”
- Location
- Seaside, Outer Cape Cod, MA
- Scope of Work
-
Architecture
Landscape Architecture
Construction
Net Zero, High Drama
A new house for a special site atop a bluff, with a panoramic view across the bay and of Provincetown’s skyline, is designed around the sun. Our client is seeking net-zero energy use and asked for a design to maximize solar energy collection. The house will not only have a large array of solar panels, but also geothermal heating and cooling. This requires wells to be dug into the Earth to capture a consistent moderate temperature, in addition to the house having extra-thick walls and triple-glazed windows.
CHALLENGE
This coastal community is one of open, rolling hills, and the houses that exist there are by nature ‘objects.’ The shed roof forms, which make up the bulk of the house, are designed to capture southern sun exposure—and that exposure is to the side of a house that is otherwise oriented toward views to the west. The three-part roof design eventually set the tenor for the whole.
DESIGN INNOVATIONS
It’s not very common to see a house where contemporary and vernacular styles merge. This house is wood-clad, but not shingled; it has window divisions, but not small panes. The setting—a stark, historic, and highly specific landscape—demands the house itself become a work of art suited to its rare and beautiful environment.
“It’s interesting to see how the starting point of maximizing southern exposure for a roof affects the ultimate form of a house with views to its west and north.”
PSD provides a highly collaborative process that is as special as the building they create.