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5 Introduction T he human need for shelter is basic and universal. People crave a place to call their own; a place where they can relax and unwind, entertain, and just be themselves. But when a house evokes a visceral reaction—a gasp at a ceiling detail, wonder at the view upon entering a room, or just a warmth that can only be felt and not described—it is truly a special experience. Over the course of his illustrious career, from commercial architecture to residential architecture in the Adirondacks and now in the Lowcountry and beyond, Marc Camens has designed homes that come with such an experience. How does he unfailingly touch the hearts of his clients and their guests? By designing with people in mind. While it seems obvious that an architect would design homes for people, Marc goes a step beyond by tapping into the emotional needs of his clients—listening to what they want, of course, but also factoring in what they didn't realize they needed. For the couple who works from home, their idea for offices on opposite sides of the floor plan might evolve into an adjoining "man cave" for him or a private balcony for her. For an owner who loves watching thunderstorms, a screened porch with a lifted ceiling might be something she never considered before talking to Marc, who is ready to guide his clients' imagination to greater heights. Yet he is always open to entertaining—and often executing—bolder ideas that challenge the lines of tradition. Taking clients' aspirations as inspiration—one homeowner spread her arms out wide and said, "I want the house to open to the ocean"—he begins developing a plan to craft a unique home that adheres to his design principle to wrap the home around the lives of the owners. Early in the design process, Marc walks the home site with the owners and takes in absolutely everything about the natural environment. From the wind direction to the potential views, Marc considers how a home might rest on the site. Sometimes working with lots deemed too challenging for other architects, Marc is prepared to turn a home's axis 45 degrees, create an

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