On the Boards: Distant Island Peninsula

This might be one of the prettiest lots in Beaufort! Distant Island’s name is somewhat of a misnomer- it’s about 10 minutes away from Downtown Beaufort. Maybe the name comes from the feeling of being away from it all. The site of our newest design is a peninsula with views to Oak Island, St. Helena Island, and a long view over the Port Royal Sound. The daily rhythms are set by the tide’s ebb & flow, the sunrise and sunset, and are punctuated by frequent visits from all manner of shore birds (egrets, herons, osprey, gulls, eagles), song birds, deer, squirrels, fiddler crabs, and dolphin.

As always, our goal is to nestle the house and its inhabitants gently within this ecosystem. The house is setback from the marsh with a 50’ buffer to the marsh. We’ve put the house on pilings, rather than digging a continous footing, in an effort to disturb fewer tree roots. This also allows the house to “float” above the land. Outdoor living areas surround the house on three sides, with a large terrace, pool, firepit and dock on the point of the peninsula.

An expanse of impact rated glass doors and windows on the South elevation look out over the terrace, pool and to the long view of the Port Royal Sound.

A raised foundation, high ceilings, steep pitched roofs, large overhangs, local materials, covered walks, native plant landscaping- these are all vernacular design techniques that make the house feel like it belongs in the Lowcountry. Vernacular techniques also reduce the energy required to cool the house; coupled with solar panels, the house should be net-zero.