Jetty House

Exterior view of the residence.

Project Details

• Project Name: Jetty House
• Client: Private
• Project Type: Single-family residence
• Principal Designer: Cube
• Design Team: Aaron Malnarick. Jason Hart, Chris Johns
• Contractors: Jack Hart, Blueline Construction (consultants)
• Year of commencement of project: 2003
• Year of completion of project: 2006
• Location of site: Folly Beach, South Carolina, USA
• Site Area: 10,890 square feet
• Built-up Area: 3,100 square feet living; 800 square feet exterior deck area
• Cost of Construction/Execution: USD 650,000

View of roof deck overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

The Building

The program called for a residence that would provide for ample living space, an attached apartment, and a small office.

The densely wooded site is situated one lot from the beach and faces two large waterfront houses.

The structure hence needed to be tall enough to permit ocean views from the top floor.

View of integrated stair and shelving assembly.

Taking inspiration from Folly Beach's ubiquitous jetties, the house was conceived as an elongated L-shaped structure that connects to the water through a visual corridor between two adjacent houses, framing ocean views from each floor.

The primary house form was carved to create balconies at each level and a prominent garden on the roof.

The resulting spaces shield the interior from the Sun and protect the balconies and windows.

The large windows on the front facade and smaller, selectively placed windows on the side walls create telescopic views of the beach while providing complete privacy to the interior spaces.

Jetty House - Building Section [opens in a pop-up window - 52kb image]

Study model of integrated stair and shelving assembly.

The house features a two-storey custom wood shelving unit that wraps from the first-floor office space to the second-floor living room. The unique shelving showcases the client's vast library and ceramic art collection and unites the main entry with the second-floor living spaces.

A choreographed sequence of movement through the shelving reveals a sky lit staircase that connects multiple functions while preserving views with its open risers. Ascending the stair, one's eye is constantly engaged with either the wooded terrain behind the house or the ocean beyond. The staircase culminates in a panoramic view of the beach from a roof garden which appears to merge with the ocean when viewed from the master suite.

Credits

• Text: Courtesy of the architect
• Photographs by Richard Leo Johnson, Courtesy of the architect
• Compiled and edited by Varun Ajani