Project Details
Residential
Howe Bay House
Place:Â Prince Edward Island
Program: Architecture/Residential
Year: 2020
Builder: Cahill Construction
Photography: Doublespace Photography
Prince Edward Island’s Northeastern shores are home to expansive views of water and sky. Rugged capes of red and dramatic shorelines reveal the power and beauty of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Howe Bay House rests atop a compelling oceanfront cliff, gazing outward, providing a firm sense of grounding and balance with nature.
Howe Bay House is defined by a pair of horizontal bars – one clad in cedar, the other in steel – both locked in place by a vertical intersection that forms the main entrance. The entrance acts as a beacon on the home’s approach, providing glimpses of the ocean beyond the structure. Its glass door and large transom windows are surrounded by a steel hoop that willingly bears weathering from the salty air. Breezeways and unadorned glass openings compliment the home’s elongated form and provide framed ocean views. Sliding barn doors allow options for privacy and weather protection.Â
To take further advantage of the surroundings, windows and sliding glass doors occupy the South, East, and West façades. This provides any of the home’s spaces with direct access to the cedar deck that wraps both storeys. Cedar-clad overhangs offer shade and shelter and create a seamless extension of the living space to the outdoors, highlighting an outdoor kitchen and lounge on the West end of the structure.
The main living area is open-concept and contains a lounge, kitchen, and dining area. Baltic Birch features – stained black or whitewashed – balance with polished concrete floors, exposed steel columns, and large spans of glass to create the interior palette. The steel columns are set back from the glass to provide unbroken views of the waterfront. The second level, flanked by sliding glass doors on three sides, contains a master suite, a guest suite, and two additional bedrooms.
