When our client first looked at this 1910 beach house, it was not only in general disrepair — it lacked both heat and insulation. What it did offer were excellent water views of Westport’s charming Mill Pond on one side and Long Island Sound on the other. To protect the house from floods, the original structure was taken down to the studs and moved back. The 15-foot addition of two large gables increased the size of the house to 2000 square feet. The use of wood-plank walls, bead board, exposed ceiling joists, pre-cast concrete and slate create an effect of modern minimalism that remains true to a beach-house esthetic.