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Rethinking Architecture: From the Inside Out
Loy and Light Tranquility
T
he ceilings of this reverse floor plan home make it truly one of a kind. Built as a retirement home
for the owners, it is tranquil, comfortable, and utterly interesting.
In the main living areas, Marc employed external and internal triangular dormers to capture views and
create a portal-like design between rooms. In the kitchen, a triangular dormer window crowns one end,
while a matching dormer serves as an internal transition into the living room. There, the square room
is crowned by two other dormers—one topping the large windows that overlook the backyard and the
other looking out over the two-story foyer. This feature not only creates a captivating pyramid-like feel
in the space but also connects the main living spaces with the entry below.
A circular coffer over a circular table creates a formal feel that is emotionally separate, although any-
thing but cut off from the rest of the design. The gentle curve of the breakfast bar and the ceiling above
it flow into the space to interrupt the otherwise linear design, softening the angles and triangles in the
overall motif.
KIAWAH ISLAND, SC
