Crackatuxet Cottage

Herring Creek Farm, Edgartown, MA

This newly constructed, multi-generational family homestead overlooks Crackatuxet Cove from its position amid two hundred–plus acres of rolling, formerly agrarian land. Its H-shaped, double-gambrel-roofed style was selected to be in keeping with its surroundings—which suggest the grand country homes of the Gilded Age—and to best accommodate an extensive program.

The overall volume of the long, linear house is broken into various wings that conceal each other and create spaces for porches and balconies. The gambrels maximize the livable square footage of the limited footprint and height—key concerns for this narrow property where basements and roofs over twenty-six feet were prohibited.

Inside, contemporary finishes enhance clean, crisp lines. Bleached white oak floors convey a beach-ready vibe, while both the great and family rooms give on to covered porches. Gallery-like central spines run from side to side and back to front, with various rooms opening off of them creating a flowing plan.