Looking to enjoy their retirement years in the Kittery area, where they had lived many years previously, our clients found a unique double-lot property in the Kittery Foreside with an existing house on one half, with the intention of building a compact, energy-efficient house for themselves on the vacant half. They were seeking to downsize and were excited about moving into a walkable community with the vibrant Kittery Foreside and downtown Portsmouth both close-by.
The design brief was slightly atypical with all living spaces to be on the second (top) floor, and more private functions on the first floor. This approach managed to take full advantage of elevated views over a neighborhood park across the street and toward the Piscataqua River and downtown Portsmouth beyond. The house contains only one dedicated bedroom, but a multi-purpose room located at the front of the house serves as a gym, office, and guest bedroom, and a residential elevator was included to allow for our clients to “age-in-place”.
A character zoning overlay dictated the form of the house to some extent, but by keeping detail and the material palette pared back to a minimum, the house feels modern and fresh while still sitting comfortably in its neighborhood. Pre-fabricated wall panels were utilized given the tight site constraints, while also contributing to some impressive blower-door test numbers conducted early on in the construction process. A full solar panel array along the south-facing roof elevation is anticipated to ensure the house is net-zero.
Between the two houses, their son who is a landscape installer (and new next-door neighbor!) created a beautiful shared outdoor patio area for both families to enjoy, as well as a characterful driveway using reclaimed bricks from a nearby demolition.
