turtle house

manasota key florida

Looking directly at elements of nature can often provide clues to smart ways of making architecture. During an initial site visit, sea turtle nesting sparked the idea to consider the turtle as an example of design that could be transformed into a house. The resulting structure pays homage to this special creature through the shell-like barrel vaulted roof and the curvilinear shape of its decks that recall the sea turtle’s carapace, plastron and flippers. The open plan interior connects to the surrounding environments through a series of framed openings imagined to replicate the experience of the turtle’s movement from the nest to the sea.