Summary: The Truro Residence is a modern, oceanfront vacation home built in 2008, perched 115’ above sea level overlooking Cape Cod Bay.  This 6,200 sq. ft. original design can sleep up to 22 people yet is environmentally sensitive; the home features native landscaping throughout the 1.7 acre site and ultra-low energy use thanks to a high performance building envelope and photovoltaic panels that produce nearly as much energy as the home uses each year.  The unique form of the home, inspired by the coastal topography, expands towards the water to capture the majestic ocean view. Designed for informal outdoor living, the home’s ocean-facing deck provides both an inviting spot to relax and a generous space to host large family events. The homes efficient HVAC system features a geothermal heating/cooling system, radiant floor distribution, and fresh air ventilation for healthy indoor air quality.

The design challenge came in accomplishing the client requests within the context of the site.  The client request was three-part:  First, a modern beach home with clean lines but without the cold, austere feeling associated with many modern houses. Second, the home was to serve flexibly both as a weekend getaway for two and a summer haven for the adult children and their families: twenty people in all. Third, the home was to use as little energy as possible.  The site, atop a harsh coastal bank environment also had a beautiful west-facing view.  These collective challenges were addressed with the following strategies:

Creating a Modern, Inviting space:  A tapered design was selected for the house to foster a human scale in the kitchen, where the client expected family to congregate, but expand out to capture the view.  The ceiling of the space is birch paneling, which infuses warmth into the typically cold fluorescent light that reflects upon it.  The home’s study features a similarly sculptural space that has a dynamic personality of its own.

Defining the Space for Varying Occupancy and Energy Efficiency:  The home’s extreme fluctuation in occupancy (from a weekend getaway for two to a summer home for the entire family) was accommodated with two primary volumes:  The “Living Bar” includes the kitchen, living and dining areas, and a guest suite – everything the couple needs when their children are away.  The “Sleeping Bar” expands to accommodate the entire family. It can be decommissioned to conserve energy when vacant, effectively halving the size of the house.

Minimizing Energy Use—and Keeping the West-Facing Ocean View: Conventional passive design principles include limiting west-facing glazing to mitigate unwanted afternoon heat gain. However, the site’s spectacular west-facing view out over the water was not to be ignored in the home’s design and required a creative, unconventional approach.  Performance feedback from an energy model identified design features to compensate for the extra heat gain and meet the client’s energy goals. Features like the 10” staggered stud walls resulted in the home using two-thirds less energy than a code-built equivalent home.

An efficient HVAC system also contributes to the home’s low energy footprint.  The ground source heat pump provides year-round heating and cooling. The radiant floors are well suited for the home’s high ceilings since they directly warm occupants, not the space.  A heat recovery ventilator maintains healthy indoor air quality by providing fresh air ventilation but minimizes energy losses by exchanging heat between incoming and outgoing air streams.  Much of the remaining electricity use is offset by solar panels on the southern roof.

Durability in Context of the Site:  Materials were selected to endure the harsh ocean environment and heavy foot traffic between the home and beach. Flooring is limited to polished concrete, bluestone and vertical grain bamboo. Exterior materials include ship-lapped cedar siding, a zinc roof, and sustainably harvested ipe decking. The concrete deck surround provides both seating for the family and a durable edge to weather wind-blown sand.