Martha's Vineyard: Contemporary Living [Hardcover]

If you've been to Martha's Vineyard, you're familiar with the vernacular gray-shingled houses and buildings which beautifully weather in the extreme marine conditions of the Island. This book offers a twist on those iconic shingled-style homes. It features 25 contemporary versions of them, all built within the last five years.

What's fascinating about this book, and useful to the reader, is that each architect has attempted to solve the same challenge: Design a weather-worthy, contemporary home using natural materials which complements the island's beauty and is primarily a vacation-style home where owners can rejuvenate, relax and play. While retaining the Island's signature shingles, these homes or offices, maximize the light, untamed landscape and water views. Most of them are in the less-populated and more remote parts of the Island. The architects involved--over 20 of them--seemed to have been sensitive to green principles and using non-intrusive footprints. Not a McMansion in the bunch. They seem to hug the landscape. There's an informality, unfussiness and easy breeziness about them. However, the use of materials is complex and intriguing. Each of the buildings is innovative, and you can learn from them.

Accompanying the descriptive text which describes the vision for the building by the architect and/or homeowner, are multiple photos of them. Then you can see how the vision took form. Many of the photos are exteriors with interior views of primarily the living areas, kitchens, some sleeping areas and a few baths. You feel what it's like to be in the homes looking out at those breath-taking views. There are floor plans and site plans for each home. The authors are architects in Boston and one of their homes is included in the book. They clearly have a passion for their subject which is conveyed in the book. This is their second book on Martha Vineyard homes.

This book is ideal for readers who love contemporary homes, waterfront homes, are thinking about building a home or for architects who want to learn from the best architects in the Northeast who have designed contemporary homes in the last five years. The interiors are simple in decor and don't look "decorated". The book is less about the furnishings, and more about the buildings and landscape itself--although if you like contemporary style furnishings, you would enjoy seeing the rooms. It seems the owners didn't want the furnishings to distract from the views, but blend in with the buildings' essence and spirit.

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