Southern vernacular architecture is rooted in pragmatism: its forms, materials, and spatial logic evolve from climate, landscape, and way of life. In our coastal Lowcountry, traditions like raised piers, deep porches, narrow floorplates, and cross‑ventilation were not aesthetic afterthoughts; they were essential strategies for comfort and resilience.

Living and building near the coast means confronting storms mightily. The goal isn’t merely survival, but resilience: limiting damage, reducing downtime, and enabling faster recovery.

Designing for hot, humid climates is a holistic process. It combines the laws of physics with client-centered design, tradition with innovation, and beauty with durability. The result is a home that feels right in every sense. It is cool, comfortable, resilient, and undeniably Lowcountry.

Building enclosures for hot humid climates

Tom Rhodes becomes certified as a Fortified Home Professional, adding to the firms expertise in designing for resilience

Also known as "two pens and a passage," the dogtrot is an early southern home design that meets today’s need for resiliency in hot and humid climates.