A Coastal Challenge

The Coastal Living house in Beachtown was inspired by Galveston’s rich architectural heritage. Coastal houses along the Gulf of the 19th Century were often of simple wood construction. The interiors of these houses, whether elaborate or simple, were expressive of the building’s nature: wood sheathing meant to give the building lateral strength was expressed at times simply as painted 'one-by' boards, but more often it was elaborated as 'v-groove' or beadboard with its many variations; wood floors were clean and simple - sometimes natural, sometimes painted. The Coastal Living House sought to reflect these traditional characteristics while employing modern hurricane-hardened building practices. Elements such as a central light monitor were used to introduce natural light to the interiors, while also doubling as a ventilation chimney allowing air movement to augment natural cooling.