In Newport, Rhode Island, we aimed to design a home that pays homage to the rich history and tradition appropriate to the birthplace of the Shingle Style. The location is elevated above Newport Harbor, overlooking the famed waters of a half-century of America’s Cup races. The property – sitting squarely in Newport’s Historic District – remained defined by the classical red brick walls of the Gilded Age, which the new house was designed to maintain and respect. The linear plan allowed all rooms to be on the view side, while circulation remained landward. The exterior of classic yellow cedar reinforced the celebration of form, where walls become roofs without distinction of color or material. The softness of the curved elements that break the simple linear plan reinforces the subconscious eye movement that allows the entirety to be experienced. A historic Newport Red was chosen for the front door, from which one enters into a refreshing modern plan that emphasizes calming neutrals and floor-to-ceiling glass that amplifies the views of the harbor.
