Client: Private couple with children

Scope: Indoor and outdoor sitting and dining areas; kitchenette; outdoor shower; bath/changing area; 1,500 SF deck with in-ground hot tub; fire pit with built-in seating

A contemporary Polynesian hut: that was the idea our clients brought us when they asked Charles Rose Architects to do a second project on their expansive property on the Charles River, southwest of Boston. All agreed that the new pool house should be wood construction—in part, to create a similar look and feel to the first project we designed there, a “play barn” with two large rooms, separated by an outdoor space that frames views of an adjacent pond. Our clients had won approval from a local conservation commission for a rectangular structure. We started by carving out a corner, creating a spacious covered outdoor sitting area. The heavy timber frame supports a modified gabled roof; the peak is pulled off-center so that the pool house subtly connects with the geometry of the play barn. Red cedar was used throughout, creating rich, warm hues from exposed beams, custom doors and millwork.

Materials: Douglas fir heavy timber frame; western red cedar; mahogany windows; ipe; stone; bamboo

Collaborators:
General Contractor: Marvel Construction Co.
Landscape Architect: Gary Koller
Structural Engineer: RSE Associates, Inc
Sitework Contractor: Capizzi & Co., Inc.
Timber Frame: Bensonwood

Photographer: John Edward Linden Photography