We turned to the vernacular dogtrot form to reduce the amount of conditioned space while creating comfortable outdoor living. In dogtrots, also known as “two pens and a passage”, one room was typically used for sleeping and the other for cooking. The open center passage was the main sitting area that was cooled naturally by the Bernoulli effect.

In this contemporary dogtrot, the center hall is the foyer and sitting room. There are a perforated wall and door on the front and a folding perforated wall on the rear that can be closed and locked for security. The master bedroom suite is to the east of the center passage with the great room to the west.

The large terrace is curved around a live oak tree, with a lap pool and spa centered on the entry which immediately connects you to the specialness of this place. The porch with retractable screens is angled to capture the long view down the river. The boardwalk encircles the terrace to break the distance to grade and thus eliminates the need for guardrails. Through the use of folding walls, the house seamlessly transitions from inside to outside.

The light-filled great room has operable windows and transoms for great cross ventilation. The south-facing windows are protected by the bracketed overhang that is designed to block the summer solstice sun.

Other sustainable strategies include a reflective “cool roof”, cypress reverse board & batten siding, river recovered cypress ceilings, low e impact resistant glass, cellulose foam insulation, a conditioned crawl space, reclaimed heart pine floors, super high-efficiency heat pump with an energy recovery ventilator, instantaneous water heaters, 3-form cabinet inserts, and low VOC paint and finishes.