Local architects Elliot + Elliot have completed a seaside residence that juts out over the rocky Maine shoreline (+ slideshow).
The two-bedroom home, named House Over the Sea, is located in the town of Surry.
From the street, the house keeps a low profile. The single-storey horizontal volume has few openings, which reduces southern exposure.
But on the opposite side, the roof pitches down towards full-height windows that look onto the sea.
The site drops off steeply into Blue Hill Bay, so the entire building is elevated on wooden piers. These lift the house above the tide and protect the land from erosion.
Visitors enter through a wooden porch that leads to the main living space. Kitchen, dining and gathering functions are combined here, where the best ocean views are provided.
This main space hangs over the water when the tide rises, "providing a sense that one is floating above the sea".
"Unobstructed views are achieved through floor to ceiling glass, allowing the expanse of the bay to act as backdrop to the activity inside", said the architects.
The main area leads to a wooden deck at the same level as the rest of the house. Below, stone steps lead to a secondary outdoor space, which floods at high tide.
The architects wanted to "engage the water both visually and physically". The masonry terrace below functions as a seawall, and the house's inhabitants also use it as a boat launch.
Inside, each bedroom is located in a wing that protrudes from the central volume. Both have an en-suite bathroom, while storage space is spread throughout the property.
The interiors are decorated in hues of green and blue that are reminiscent of the scenery outside. Externally, the house is clad in wooden shingles typical of Maine's seaside houses.
Other seaside properties include a white house composed of various vaulted arches in Southern California and a house made of stacked glazed boxes that provide views to the sea in Vancouver.
Photography is by Trent Bell.
