Beach House

Beach House is a facilities building for a small-town beach on the shore of Lake Champlain, locally referred to as the “beach house”. It is a public building open to all town residents. The design pays homage to local agricultural architecture, includes the work of local artists, both past and present, and highlights local, sustainable materials.

Beach House is an 826 square foot, single-gable building. Parallel barn doors cover an open passage through the building, and an offset roof creates a large, covered front porch. These design elements push and pull at the building's mass, creating unexpected views through and around a simple rectangular form, highlighting and framing the views to Lake Champlain, the Adirondacks, and local farmlands. A stamped concrete patio extends the porch area beyond the building and invites the public to interact with the building. The covered porch provides respite from hot sun and summer showers, and a sheltered spot for visitors to enjoy the lakeside views when the building is closed in the off season.

Builder: Farrington Construction

Photography: Ryan Bent Photography