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