Goose Rocks Beach is among the 1% of Maine’s 3,478 miles of coastline that is sandy beach, a rare commodity in Maine. The Beach Pavilion is a small structure with a changing room, a gathering space, and a summer kitchen. The south and west walls to either side of the long narrow table slide open creating a space not unlike a screened porch.
The second floor contains a bunk room, a guest bedroom, and a reading nook that looks down on the jagged sea wall below. The third floor office and deck take advantage of panoramic views from north to south, from Timber Island to Stage Island. To the east, high windows maintain privacy from a public access path to the beach and the neighboring house. The inverted bay affords ocean views for the north bunk room.
The 900 SF footprint feels much larger because the design takes advantage of views and light. Rather than apply for a variance from the town and DEP officials, the owner’s sought to play by the rules and construct a building that, along with walks and driveway, covers no more than 20% of an already non-conforming lot. In addition, the house meets a requirement for a minimum of three feet clear below the structure above the highest elevation and an overall building height not to exceed thirty feet. Both are accomplished by construction using a steel frame and a thin 2.5” wood deck.
Facing due south provides substantial heat through passive solar gain. Backup heat is provided by a small ducted-split system that also provides humidity control in the summer. The house is a smart house that can be operated remotely from the primary residence in Connecticut. The cedar material for the doors and windows comes from certified forests. All insulation is closed cell spray-in foam. The material used for the driveway is 9% impervious in an effort to return the property to open sand stabilized by beach grass.