McDonald Residence
Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras

A second home and resort rental, the site gradually slopes north to the water edge. A quarter of a mile from the water edge extends the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the largest barrier Reef in the Caribbean Sea.

The house, which was conceived, as a cluster of connected pods that step with the natural grade is long, thin and sited to minimize its exposure to the setting sun. The pods were developed not only to encourage the ever present coastal breezes to move through the house, cooling the interior, but also to reduce the effect of an overpowering foot print on the site.

Main rooms housed in each pod open to a central deck with shaded, northerly views of the oceanfront. On the edge of the deck a double negative edge swimming pool pours it’s water 12’-0” down and becomes a back drop to a Yoga Room nestled on the Ground Floor.

A century old Ceiba tree marks the oceanfront corner of the site, provides shade from the west, and with its proximity to the deck, protruding roots and permanence, connects us back to the earth.

Above the tree line, the observation tower has a panoramic view of the Caribbean Sea and the Tropical Rain Forest Mountains to the South.

The materials are chosen to be maintenance free in this salty, corrosive environment. The roof structure is galvanized steel and wood. The walls are painted stucco on masonry. The floors are concrete creating a cooling thermal anchor. Wood was used extensively on broad roof overhangs, gates, fences and window louvers to minimize the permanent feeling of the concrete.