Project Description↓

Location: Siesta Key – Sarasota, Florida
Category: Residential
Year: 2018
Project Team: Damien Blumetti - Principal Architect

Situated along one of two main corridors to Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, Florida, the first impression of the Bay House is its articulated Ipe-wood screen wall that morphs from east to west, creating a dynamic visual that is both functional and artistic. Within the property is a single-family residence with a finished floor 11 feet above sea level (per flood zone protocol) that consists of three bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, an outdoor living area, kitchen, dining room, dedicated study, and laundry facilities.

The aesthetic considerations of its South American owners required an honest and straightforward material palette: raw materials that were exposed or had not been significantly altered respond to the site and its lush landscape along with unobstructed views of Robert’s Bay. The aforementioned screen wall allows for private, filtered views to the front yard and Siesta Drive, while serving as a railing for the north exterior terrace.

In order to maximize bay vistas without sacrificing privacy, a strategy of folding in the board-formed concrete walls from the exterior facade was employed to allow light and views to the water from interior spaces of the house. The strategy creates a dynamic facade that corresponds to the interior program. A 14-foot overhang extends off the main living area to allow for further unobstructed views to the bay while blocking out the most intense southern sunlight. The project also uses thermally broken windows and insulated glass to reduce heat gain inside the space.