Visible while crossing the bridge to Chestertown from Queen Anne's County, the Hodson Boathouse provides a new identity for Washington College and embodies the College's commitment to the Chester River and Chesapeake Bay Watershed. ©Judy Davis / Hoachlander Davis Photography

Massing and materials were selected to recall historic vernacular forms such as the Waterman's Cottage and a breezeway house, as well as to align with the current residential scale of the waterfront. ©Judy Davis / Hoachlander Davis Photography

Located just outside the Chesepeake Bay Critical Area buffer, the Hodson Boathouse training and event space provides views to native landscapes and the Chester River. ©Judy Davis / Hoachlander Davis Photography

A foundation of the project is a deep wraparound porch that provides a shady and welcoming destination for people arriving from land or water. The porch provides rain-sheltered space to relax as well as to gather teams and recreational groups for quick instructional huddles. ©Judy Davis / Hoachlander Davis Photography

The corner of the porch closest to the dock is designed with seating-sized steps cascading to the ground where students can wait for friends, or coaches can hold a quick meeting before or after practice. ©Judy Davis / Hoachlander Davis Photography

The indoor, 16-station rowing tank enables rowing team members to both learn and perfect their sweep technique and practice indoors when the weather is too cold or inclement for on-the-water training. ©Judy Davis / Hoachlander Davis Photography

College events can take place in the multipurpose space with its roll-up glass doors opening to the water, as well as spill out onto the porch and the landscape. ©Judy Davis / Hoachlander Davis Photography

Water is one of the most important elements of the site for the College because of the focus on the Chester River as an area of study; therefore, water usage and protection of the watershed through rain gardens and shoreline mitigation plantings were identified early on as primary concerns for project performance. The project is designed for resiliency in the face of rising sea levels and changes to the watershed by raising the building up on piers. ©Judy Davis / Hoachlander Davis Photography