not so simple

A wooded bluff above the Cousins River estuary is the location for a high performance sustainable home in southern Maine US. Sited in a clearing, to take advantage of solar gain, the south facing windows illuminate the open floor plan and natural light is filtered through. This integration of performance and aesthetics is characteristic of the Cousins River Residence.

The pine forest dominates the view from the home and vertical trees surrounding the site are a contrast to the low horizontal lines of the single level home. A covered walkway stretching between the house and garage helps connect the buildings to the landscape.

Designed by G.O Logic, custom casework and a built-in day bed frame the living room in Baltic birch, while custom ash millwork ads warmth to the bedrooms and kitchen. The concrete floor is not only robust; it is a critical component of the home’s energy performance, helping to maintain and regulate interior temperatures throughout the year.

The approach for the Cousins River Residence was to create a highly insulated building shell that makes use of passive solar gain to lower space heating demands, allowing the cost and complexity of the mechanical systems to be minimized making this simple looking dwelling, not so simple.