Rebuilding an Historic Structure

WATCH HILL, RI

As Associate and Project Manager at Centerbrook Architects, Meg was the lead architect on the rebuilding of a hotel that originated in 1868. Located high on a bluff with commanding views of both the Atlantic Ocean and Watch Hill harbor, the historic structure was in dire shape, structurally unsound and neglected. Local and state agencies required replication of the historic kernel of the building including its porches, its columned entry loggia, its tower and its wood clapboard. What followed was an exhaustive documentation of the original, salvaging of elements for re use, and revised plans that would bring the hotel into the 21 st Century. Today the Ocean House includes 43 hotel rooms, 21 residential suites, a bar, interior and terrace restaurants, private Club Room, pool and spa.

One of the great joys of the project was the care and attention paid to architectural detail. No corner of the building was overlooked. From the wood shingle roof, to the substantial window trim to the porch decking, to the boulder foundation stone, every element was considered.

While the original Second Empire building was our touchstone, details were also developed that closely reference the architectural vernacular found in Watch Hill. Elements like roof brackets, porch balustrades, fan light windows and board and batten siding were seamlessly combined with roof shapes, dormers and turrets inspired by nearby Shingle Style summer homes. The result is a building that looks and feels authentic because it belongs in Watch Hill.

In collaboration with Centerbrook Architects