Epicotyl

In the early stages of plant development, the Epicotyl emerges from the germinated seed, lifting the first foliage above the soil while maintaining a vital connection between the hidden root system and the growth above. Positioned between earth and air, it represents a moment of transition, stability, and emergence.

The concept serves as the organizing idea for this waterfront residence. Responding to the Owners' desire for a strong connection to the ground, the house emerges from a series of cascading terraces that create an intermediate landscape between the natural terrain and the elevated architecture. The layered landscape supports the residence above the required flood elevation while maintaining a continuous relationship with the ground below.

Along the street, the approach unfolds as a horizontal procession of layered thresholds. A final entry step appears to float above the ground, extending along the L-shaped façade to create a sheltered transition between exterior and interior. An integrated vertical screen provides privacy, shade, and environmental control before the compressed entry sequence opens into a dramatic two-story volume centered on the main circulation stair.

At the waterfront, the architecture changes character. Expansive openings and extended floor plates dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, reconnecting each level with the elevated landscape. A series of terraces, each shaped around a distinct program, cascades toward the water, extending the living environment outward.

Like the epicotyl itself, the architecture connects what anchors it to what enables it to emerge. The terraces ground the residence in the landscape, while the architecture rises above them to engage with the water, sky, and surrounding environment.

Location:
San Remo Estates | Sarasota, Florida

Type:
Custom Waterfront Residence

Status:
Unbuilt Design