The small city of Folly Beach occupies a six-mile barrier island just south of Charleston, South Carolina. The island has been a popular beach getaway since the 1950’s, and has developed with a dense mixture of rental shacks and large coastal homes.

The house turns a second-row beach lot into oceanfront property with an elongated structure pushed to one side of the lot that captures views between two houses across the street. Inspired by the beach jetties, the linear body is used like a camera lens to foreshorten the viewing distance. The design diverts from the neighborhood’s ubiquitous built-on decks and pitched roofs by treating the roof as valuable real estate and using negative space to carve out balconies shielding the interior from the summer sun. Because flood codes dictate minimum building heights, the house’s underside is treated as a fifth façade.

Inside, an open staircase with integrated shelving forms a circulation spine that choreographs movement through the house to maximize the visual experience of the site. Moving between the first-floor office and the dining room above, one sees primarily water and foliage. Selectively placed windows on the east and west walls reinforce telescopic views while providing complete privacy. The circulation spine culminates at the roof deck, which appears to merge with the ocean from the house’s master suite.