The Stonington Residence is a recently renovated and restored historic house, sited on a small stone ledge between 300 feet of waterfront and a large meadow in Stonington, Connecticut. It’s original architect John Lincoln, former senior architect for the Navy at Quonset Point and professor of architecture at RISD, completed his design of the home during World War II, a time of accelerated development in materials and building technology. Lincoln’s commitment to innovative thinking and technology – as made evident by his early adoption of modern radiant heating techniques and his work with the institution that created the Quonset hut – was carried forward in the restoration.
In referencing its architectural history, the restored building reuses elements from the material palette of existing house, while maintaining a decidedly innovative approach to material assembly and detailing. The original home had a granite wall running through its center; this wall remains as a primary organizing device that spatially defines discrete living programs and produces a central circulation corridor. Blackened steel and plywood are used to create transitions between public and private programs. And the second-floor bedroom suites are wrapped in a corten steel metal envelope at the exterior, which gives the home a distinct architectural element that remains formally and materially in tune with Lincoln’s original design. The use of this corten steel cladding and plywood elevate the conventional sheathing materials admired by the original owner to the realm of finished surfaces.
The new design emphasizes the building’s connection to he site by opening the living spaces to the landscape via full height wood windows. These glass openings reveal themselves in different sizes throughout; when standing in the landscape, the transparency engenders an inviting pull towards the home. The site’s rock outcrops help organize the sprawling landscape, which includes a studio, garage, pool, and outdoor patios. The use of concealed rooftop solar panels and a geothermal system are emblematic of the sensitivity with which the architect, client, and collaborators approached the entire project.
Photography ©David Sundberg/Esto
Status: Built
Location: Stonington, CT, US
