110
Rethinking Architecture: From the Inside Out
Adirondack Zen
Cowboy Beach House
L
ocated on a major thoroughfare to the ocean and along a golf
course, this truly one-of-a-kind home was built with 100-percent
collaboration with the owner. Upon approaching the home, one is struck
by its uniqueness: its floor plan is pivoted 15 degrees off the parallel with
the road so that two buildings on the golf course were hidden from view.
Inside, the distinctiveness of the design continues.
The owner wanted the home to reflect all the places that the family had
lived and traveled. Those locales included the Adirondacks, the American
West, and the Far East. Upon entry in the reverse floor plan home, one
travels through the Adirondack-inspired front porch and is greeted by the
heart pine media room and the beautiful view of the marsh beyond. Then,
traveling up the asymmetrical three-story stairway, one immediately takes
note of the terracotta warriors inspired by those found in Xi'an, China. The
archer is positioned above the standing warrior to protect him. Above,
Tibetan prayer flags cascade down each level. Ascending to the top level,
one is greeted by the Western chandelier and a painting of a cowboy
over the fireplace, completing the look that Marc calls the Adirondack
Zen Cowboy Beach House.
Marc recalls sitting across the table from the homeowner, a busy attorney,
on multiple occasions and discussing design ideas during the conceptual
phase, in-between the client's meetings. From conception to the finished
project, Marc made every design decision together with the homeowner,
whose passion for the project was infectious. It was one of the most
memorable and rewarding experiences of Marc's career.
KIAWAH ISLAND, SC
