Meadowcrest
Vernacular
architecture uses regionally specific materials, methods, and design
characteristics. Construction anywhere on Nantucket must meet extensive design
regulations that place it into a vernacular deemed appropriate by historic
district legislation. While the wisdom of such restriction is debatable, it
does not mean that design for, and building on, the island eliminates
creativity or the need for carefully considered work. It just means creativity
must occur within established conventions. Meadowcrest was conceived to succeed
on these terms—it fits into the local vernacular but is not identical to any
other house on the island. It is unique to its site and specific to the needs
and desires of a client whose family had retreated to a previous house on the
beautiful Arcadian site for generations.
| Project Category | Countryside |
|---|---|
| Scope of Work | Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Construction |
| Finished Space Above Grade | 3,502 |
| Guest House Finished Space Above Grade | 654 |
| Photography | Brian Vanden Brink |
The property is a large open piece of land on a quite side road. Here, on the southern side of the island, it is a largely flat coastal plain adjacent to beach and open ocean.
There is little historic development, and it feels quite rural. Once on the property, the lightly wooded approach to the house is enhanced by a driveway that winds through the woods and keeps the house invisible from the street. At the front of the house the driveway enters a clearing and becomes a circle centered on the front door and a large flagpole. It then continues around one side to the garage/guest house, set well back on the property and near the mud room entry to the main house.
Behind the house and next to the guest house a large field for play is partly bounded by a swimming pool, fire pit, and generous outdoor living and play spaces. There is subtle harmony between the main house, guest house, and outdoor spaces—it feels like a true private precinct, an oasis from everyday hurry and stress.
