House in Winter Park

It’s a very unique project that’s built into the side of a landscaped hill and barely visible when approaching it from the street. The low-slung modernist house is organized around a glass-walled courtyard, encircling ancient protected live oak trees. The courtyard also features native plantings, a lap pool with a sinuous deck, and a guest house tucked into the corner.

The transparency of the house extends views through to the lake beyond. A great effort was made in the planning of the house to preserve the roots of all the existing surrounding trees. The deceptively simple volumes are built on a series of grade beams. By keeping the house low slung with deep overhangs and a light palette, we were able to effectively address the Florida climate while at the same time drawing attention to the spectacular existing Cypress and Live Oak trees.

The Lakeside facade extends this sense of calm. It features a marine railway system that allows the clients boat to glide in and out of the water preserving the natural edge of the lake and eliminating the need for a boathouse that would otherwise clutter the view.  Interiors on the project were by Portland based Jessica Helgerson Interior design.