seven sisters house on south carolina coast by frank harmon architects

seven sisters house on south carolina coast by frank harmon architects
all images © richard leo johnson

for many a northern soul, endless winters filled with dark, dreary skies accompanied by frigid wind, rain, and snow are an unfortunate, but survivable yearly occurrence. sometimes though, the thought of enduring unbroken months of cold is simply too much to handle, as was the case for bostonians sabrina terry and john lamb. the two followed the footsteps of countless others before them, deciding to make the long migration to a warmer, sun-filled life in the south. st. helena island turned out to be the perfect location, part of a cluster of islands just off south carolina’s coast. 

eastern elevation 

the purchased site is densely wooded in oak and pine, and offers fantastic views to hunting island and harbor river marshes to the south. also on the grounds, is a 200 plus year old oak with seven trunks, which the landowners fittingly deemed the ‘seven sisters’. frank harmon, an architect located a few hundred miles northwest in raleigh, was then commissioned to design the home. given the flood zone locale, it was required that it be raised a minimum of 14 feet above sea level. 

northern elevation 

with set-in-stone requirements accounted for, harmon was given fairly free reign over the build. the clients simply wanted a comfortable, spacious dwelling on as small of a budget as physically possible. to achieve this, the home is mostly open air. the southern climate — warm days, balmy nights, humming bird size mosquitos — is perfect for outdoor living. screen porches can be built for a fraction of the cost of heated spaces and since frost is a rarity in the area, exposure wasn’t really a cause for concern.

western elevation

‘seven sisters’ is built upon 14-foot pilings, with a southern facing overhang that protects from the intense sunshine. its orientation maximizes solar absorption, and can remain naturally ventilated for at least nine months a year. in total, half of the floor plan is devoted open-air living space. for additional protection, a large glass sliding door guards against occasional cold winds from the north. the cypress rain screen and reclaimed pine floors all come from lumber felled and milled within 50 miles of the site. water is heated on demand with a tankless system, and a mini HVA system conditions the interior space for peak hot and cold temps. 

one of many screened porches 

the deep roof overhang helps shade from the high, hot summer sun

interior staircase

view towards the kitchen 

bathroom and pocket door 

lower floor plan 

second floor plan  

section 

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