Dash Landing Farmhouse
Project Location: Freeport, Maine
Located in a picturesque open field, long admired by the Greater Portland community, this new farmhouse provides a sustainable home for recent empty nesters and their lovable golden retriever. Our site-specific design solution nestled the home in the elevated northeast corner of the field, affording broad sweeping views to the south and west, along with distant coastal views beyond. This placement, along with purposefully locating the driveway in the adjoining woods, allows the cherished field to remain largely undisturbed.
Downsized from the couple’s previous residence, Dash Landing Farmhouse provides for mainly one-floor living. We arranged the first-floor spaces to take advantage of the solar exposure naturally offered by the field and the home’s positioning. The kitchen faces east for morning sun, and includes a view of the guest arrival area. The solar calculated overhangs of the south-facing porch, afford cooling shade in the summer, while not blocking solar gain in the winter. In the afternoon, the couple can enjoy late day sun and brilliant sunsets over the field via the southwest facing screen porch. Double-doors directly connect a small office and the master bedroom suite to the screen porch and landscape beyond. Less commonly occupied guest bedrooms and a cozy reading nook are located on the second-floor. From the windows of these spaces, one is afforded a wonderful perch for observing the active birdlife surrounding the home.
Outside the home, the well-established surrounding trees shelter the farmhouse from winter’s prevailing winds. A standing seam metal roof, pre-finished shingle siding, quality windows and doors, and hardwood decking, provide for low-maintenance exterior that will age gracefully. On the interior, Maine sourced hardwood flooring, slate, granite, and cabinets, further bind the home to its setting. A geothermal heating and cooling system, tight construction standards, and superior insulation, keep the home comfortable in all seasons. In addition, fossil fuel consumption is kept low.
While it is a high-performance home, designed for the energy efficiency demands of today, the overall aesthetic is inspired by New England vernacular architecture. The home and detached barn, blend effortlessly into the adjoining village, and now feel like an integral piece of this treasured property.
Project Completion Date: 2013
Photography:
Collaborators:
- General Contractor: Rousseau Builders
- Structural Engineer: Albert Putnam Associates
- Interior Design: Krista Stokes
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