My clients are long time visitors of this Penobscot Bay Island. They wanted a house that was both sustainable and looked it had always been there. The clients have two grown children with families and the house needed to be able live large or feel cozy

This cottage overlooks the Penobscot Bay in Maine and recalls small-scale New England Island simple homes of the past. Composed from a group of shed forms, all of the rooms have views and light on three sides. They are designed to be efficient and compact, the cottage has a garden and a bayside deck for sunny days. One side is covered by a blueberry bush and the cottage is constructed of third party sustainably certified lumber. Reflecting a minimalist New England Island aesthetic and the access challenges of limited ferry service, the cottage is simple and elegant.

The local lumber yard when asked about sustainably certified lumber said – “well that’s all we carry”. It’s a good thing when business as usual is sustainable.