Sea Bright

Starting from a narrow site and a barren landscape, with a bay on one side of the property and the Atlantic on the other, our project goal was to create an engaging and resilient naturalized setting that established a strong connection between nature and architecture. The project involved a particularly dynamic collaboration between the client and design team to explore the merging of built and natural forms and systems, to create a setting that simultaneously honors architecture and place.

To provide resiliency and beauty appropriate for the area, which had been scoured by flooding for years, we established a new dunescape across the entire site. The new landscape channels floodwaters to and through designated areas, working with the anticipated larger storms of the coming century instead of against those forces. This approach serves to heighten the experience of nature while also addressing the realities of storm surges and the rugged growing conditions of barrier beaches.

Through strategic site planning, we developed a variety of exterior spaces. Some provided privacy and respite while others capture expansive views and offered more dynamic engagement with the site’s context. Green roofs and other green infrastructure systems maximize groundwater recharge. Native plants, establishing a dense network of root systems, help to protect the fragile ecosystem and create a sustainable, flexible approach to long-term maintenance.

Location
Sea Bright, NJ

Size
1 acre

Completion
2017

Collaborators
RAAD Architects