House by the Sea in Maine

This house, designed by Elliott + Elliott Architecture on a cliffside coastal shore in the town of Searsville, Maine, USA, during high tide appears nearly level with the incoming water, giving its inhabitants the feeling that they are on a boat.

The volume of the house is determined by building codes which did not allow exceeding the size of the previous structure on this site. The main part of the building has a sloped roof, which thanks to skylights allows maximum illumination of the space, while simultaneously providing passive ventilation.

Unobstructed, unenclosed views of the sea are made possible by floor-to-ceiling windows, making the bay a constant backdrop to everything that happens inside. This is undoubtedly the best decoration of the house.

Photos: Trent Bell