Schrieber Residence

A house for a couple with two grown daughters on the coast an island in Maine is set into the land that slopes to Penobscot Bay. Sculptural angled roofs are a response to the dramatic coastline of the area and help define the separate portions of the program. The house is organized around an intimate garden space that one passes through as one moves toward the main entry. Spaces are arranged into discreet yet connected pavilions, to provide privacy and special moments to each part of the family. Two bedrooms over the garage are entered by a bridge framing the garden entry while two others adjacent to the garage are stacked one on top of the other and are accessed under the bridge. These are separate from the main part of the house but connected through a glass walled corridor flanking the garden and paralleling the exterior path to the front door. The Master Suite is located in the main part of the house overlooking the large deck on the bay but with its own private smaller deck. Connecting the main house with the sleeping pavillions is the Family Room that sits attached to the glass walkway and opposite a small additional courtyard garden. Construction was considerably challenging because of the site’s island location and its complex roof structure. The house is designed to use the setting sun as a focal point, visible from the point of entry into the garden, through the house and also to provide specific framed views, bringing an understanding and appreciation of the entire site to its inhabitants.