PROJECT  Dune House

LOCATION  Fenwick Island, Delaware, US​

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  9/20/2024

Firm(s): Ziger|Snead Architects 

Design Team Members: Douglas Bothner, AIA LEED AP, Christopher Brown

Client: 
Contractor/Construction Manager: Horizon Builders

Landscape Architect: 

Structural Engineer: 1200 Architectural Engineers, PLLC

Civil Engineer: FORESIGHT Services

Mechanical Engineer: 

Electrical Engineer: 

Photographer(s): Jennifer Hughes, Photographer LLC
Additional project support: 

PROJECT SUMMARY

Dune House is a retreat shaped by a family’s longstanding connection to Fenwick Island. Having spent decades summering along this stretch of Delaware coastline, the owners approached the project with a clear ambition: to create a home that could accommodate generations of family while capturing the character of the landscape that had drawn them there for so many years.

Set on a rare corner site overlooking protected dunes, the house emerges from a close reading of its environment. Before design began, the architects spent time observing the site, tracking the movement of light, studying the height and form of the dunes, and exploring how the home might engage with shore and views of the Atlantic. Rather than imposing itself upon the landscape, the project sought to deepen the experience of it. More than a beach house, Dune House is an expression of belonging. Through its form, materiality, and relationship to the site, it reflects the enduring connection between a family and the coastline that continues to shape their lives.

The exterior takes cues from the dune fencing that lines the beach. Accoya cladding matches the proportions of the pickets, creating a shifting pattern of light and shadow as the sun moves across the façade. Left unfinished, the wood will weather in the salt air, allowing the house to settle into the landscape over time.

JURY COMMENTS (if applicable)

MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project PDF

IMAGES (Captions and Photographer Credit)
1. Exterior Dune House, Jennifer Hughes
2. Elevation, Jennifer Hughes
3. Kitchen overlooking Atlantic, Jennifer Hughes
4. At Sunrise, Jennifer Hughes
5. Entry Stair, Jennifer Hughes
6. From the Dune, Jennifer Hughes
7. Approach, Jennifer Hughes
8. Uninterrupted indoor/outdoor living, Jennifer Hughes