75 Market Street - Eric A Chase Architecture

Construction: Chris Gormley
Photography: James R. Salomon Photography
RICHARD RENNER | ARCHITECTS
CONTEMPORARY URBAN INFILL
A contemporary, energy-e� cient home that complements its eclectic neighborhood
Richard Renner Architects was called on to create a
roomy home within a small footprint in a Portland
downtown neighborhood. The completed project
is one that the designers themselves say they
would love to live in. The perfect size for a couple but large
enough to entertain a group, one can imagine a quiet winter
evening in the home or a summer afternoon with guests on
the roof deck and spilling out from the kitchen/living space
into the backyard.
There is one o� ce/bedroom, with a lovely view to Casco
Bay, one bathroom, and an o� ce on the second fl oor.
On the fi rst fl oor is the kitchen, living and dining room, a
half-bathroom, and an entrance space. Although only 1,200
square feet, the home accommodates the owners’ many
interests—gardening, music, and woodworking (there's a
shop in the basement). The exterior is clad in galvanized
steel roof shingles, which require little maintenance. The
repeated horizontal dimension is consistent with the wood
siding typical of the neighborhood. The form recalls the
classic New England triple-decker, and the parapet is a
modern translation of a historic parapet. In addition to being
a design element, it screens and serves as a rail for the
roof deck.
In the evening, the character of the house changes as
this silver box begins to glow, revealing a silhouette of the
homeowner’s collection of cacti in the window.
MH+D NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 77