Kennebunkport Boathouse by Steven Harris Architects

Situated along the rugged coastline of Maine, Kennebunkport Boathouse by Steven Harris Architects is an understated yet luxurious architectural ode to simplicity and function.

Designed as a dual-purpose retreat, the project includes a semi-subterranean pool house and bunkhouse, each thoughtfully integrated into the surrounding landscape. With its restrained material palette and strong connection to the outdoors, the design offers a refined response to its site, balancing bold architectural gestures with subtle nods to its historic context.

With its restrained material palette and strong connection to the outdoors, the design offers a refined response to its site, balancing bold architectural gestures with subtle nods to its historic context.

The pool house, partially embedded into the hillside, serves as the heart of the retreat. Its loft-like interior features an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area that flows effortlessly onto the pool terrace, framing sweeping ocean views. Large, bronze-framed sliding doors open fully, dissolving the boundary between indoors and out while allowing natural ventilation to circulate freely. This passive design approach, coupled with subterranean elements, eliminates the need for air conditioning. Along the rear wall, a continuous skylight bathes intricate stonework in natural light, anchoring the space with its tactile presence.

Perpendicular to this is the bunkhouse, a structure clad in weathered cedar shingles, nodding to the coastal architecture of Maine. The lower level houses practical amenities, including a changing room and shower adjacent to the pool deck, as well as a boat storage area for recreational equipment. Upstairs, eight built-in bunk beds provide guests with a cosy retreat after days spent enjoying outdoor activities.

The interiors are deliberately muted in tone, allowing the surrounding landscape and ocean vistas to take centrestage while fostering a tranquil atmosphere.

The interiors are deliberately muted in tone, allowing the surrounding landscape and ocean vistas to take centrestage while fostering a tranquil atmosphere. Stone floor tiles flow from inside to outside, expanding the sense of space, while light timber joinery adds subtle warmth and texture, balancing the stonework of the rear wall. The bunkhouse is simply adorned, kept light and bright, with nautical elements that emphasise its connection to the location, and exposed timber beams that link it back to the pool house.

The landscape design was integral to the overall concept. Designed by RRP, it further enhances the sense of immersion in nature, with native plantings carefully selected and pruned to mimic windswept vegetation shaped by years of ocean breezes. Above the pool house, a roof planted with sedums and evergreen shrubs provides an intimate vantage point overlooking the North Atlantic Ocean. Strategically placed mature trees offer shade and visually anchor the buildings to the landscape. The large lap pool extends views towards the horizon, its colour echoing the blues and greys of the rocky shoreline.

Kennebunkport Boathouse celebrates simplicity while offering an elevated experience of coastal living.

By blending contemporary design with traditional forms and prioritising integration with its site and context, Steven Harris Architects has crafted a retreat that is both functional and deeply connected to its setting. Kennebunkport Boathouse celebrates simplicity while offering an elevated experience of coastal living – an enduring dialogue between architecture and nature.

Architecture by  Steven Harris Architects. Interior design by Manuel de Santaren. Build by Bowley Builders. Landscape design by RRP.