The Long Lake House was designed within extremely tight constraints on a narrow lot along the shore of Winnipesaukee - the largest lake in New Hampshire, at the foothills of the White Mountains.

The as-of-right setbacks from the water and the property line made the lot undevelopable, which is why it was always sold together with the property up the hill, providing lake access for the small cottage built there in the 1800s. With the lower parcel separated from the upper parcel by a quiet local road, the owners were granted a reduction in the front yard setback to develop this lower property with a more modern vacation home for themselves and their extended family.

To conform with the reduced setback, the proposed structure measures just over 13-feet wide and over 140-feet long. Large north-facing windows offer stunning views of Lake Winnipesaukee while making the tight floor plan feel more expansive. The street-facing south facade has strategically placed windows to bring natural light and cross ventilation to the spaces, while also providing privacy from the street.

An efficient floor plan is crucial in such tight building constraints. Spaces are arranged to allow a circulation axis along the north side of the plan. The dramatically sloping site allows for a walkout basement; housing the bedrooms. While the main level above includes the primary living space to capitalize on the waterfront views. In the kitchen, living, and dining room, a custom built-in bench, continuous with the kitchen millwork, runs along the length of the room and maximizes the space in the narrow floor plan. White oak custom cabinets with white Corian countertops provide a light, bright interior color palette—perfect for enjoying summers on the lake.

The primary stair provides separation between the bedrooms and the communal spaces while connecting the three levels. A continuous bookshelf rises through all three stories separating the vertical and horizontal circulation. Also continuous through all three floors is the black-steel-clad fireplace volume. Rock climbing grips on the back side of the fireplace volume allow the kids to climb between the first floor to the second floor stair landings.

The top floor boasts an indoor lounge with a fireplace and amazing views of the lake. The large roof deck spanning two-thirds of the length of the house includes a covered outdoor seating area, hot tub, and open space for sunbathing. Glass railings allow for views of the water; while the sunbathing area has a cedar slatted privacy screen towards the street side.

From the roof deck, a secondary exterior stair provides quick access to the lake, by taking you all the way to the grotto at the walk-out basement, just a few steps away from the water. The grotto hosts an outdoor kitchen which flows to a terrace overlooking the lake, with space for tables and a fire pit.

The driveway runs perpendicular to the length of the house to allow for the required off-street parking. The covered parking pierces the house volume, both breaking down the scale of an otherwise imposing wall to the street and providing visual access to the lake beyond. This “cut” into the volume is highlighted with natural finish cedar in contrast with the black-stained cedar siding on the rest of the house. The contrasting natural cedar siding is also used for window trim, grouping windows to emphasize the long proportions of the house.