Block Island’s modest, forthright farmhouses with connected sheds and barns are an example of a truly regional architecture.  Their low-scale and thoughtful siting serve to block the relentless winds and their weathered materials blend into the rugged landscape.

This time-tested connected building type is adopted for the Swede Hill house. Here though, the three buildings housing a great room, bedrooms and a guesthouse are folded around a courtyard to create a sheltered outdoor space on this high, windy site.  The buildings are kept low and are clad in local stone, white cedar shingles and copper – all materials that will develop a weathered patina over time.  With the use of a rainwater collection system, native plantings, high performance insulation, and solar hot water, this will be our first LEED certified house.