Featuring Houses by the Sea
Tia Blassingame
Within the slick, oversized pages of this coffee table book, the ocean view is as significant as the buildings and interiors. Each different residence is graphically depicted in each of the twenty chapters. Additionally the author briefly details the effect that site and owner constraints together with the incorporation of modern and native techniques and materials had upon the construction and the architect’s design of the site and residence
Though the images of the site and building exteriors are magnificent, Houses often fails to provide the reader with an integral component to any residence no matter how decadent: the occupants. We are left wondering how the residents experience the spaces, how they respond to the exquisite views and locations. Without people, the settings look staged, artificial. Or maybe the author intended to sneak us into this world of luxury and privilege while the residents were away. If only the spaces were not so sterile. To the author, I say: allow us to sneak in and discover the clutter, the game room littered with beach toys and open books.
The photos become magical when they portray the juxtaposition of the residence with its exquisite setting. When the interplay of natural and architectural elements to create innovative and breathtaking spaces is illustrated, Houses by the Sea develops into a captivating volume.
