Lightness Through Mass and Material
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The Higel House was born from a request for a simple, energy-efficient, contemporary beach home. Located on Siesta Key, the site presented dual challenges: a required elevated structure due to flood zone regulations and proximity to a busy intersection. The design responds by balancing openness and privacy, using strategic massing to create a calm, airy retreat.
Proportion played a key role—elevating the landscape to meet the entry stair grounds the structure, raised window sills compress the upper volume, and a thin-profile SIPS roof enhances the silhouette while enabling energy performance. The roof provides integral insulation, deep overhangs for shade, and supports a large solar array and roof deck with views to Roberts Bay and Big Sarasota Pass.
The design aimed for material honesty within the framework of a “modern beach shack.” This concept evolved into a post-and-beam language expressed through exposed concrete supports and a shiplap-clad roof. Finishes like Florida coral stone, terrazzo tile, and pickled white oak promote cross-ventilation and blur the line between interior and exterior. Set back from property edges, the home allows the landscape to flow around it, softening its elevated presence.
client/owner
Private Client
Project information
location
Siesta Key, FL
size
3,664 SF
Status
Completed in 2017
FOUNDER
Jerry Sparkman, AIA, NCARB
Jerry Sparkman, a founding principal of Sweet Sparkman Architecture & Interiors, has been crafting resilient, thoughtful designs since the firm's inception in 2002. His work reflects a deep understanding of the coastal environment, emphasizing the integration of local culture, history, and long-term community growth. Jerry’s design philosophy—“respect the land and the people, and the rest will follow”—is exemplified in projects like The Bay Park in Sarasota, where he has merged innovative design with environmental stewardship to create vibrant public spaces. His portfolio spans high-end residential projects, public parks, higher education facilities, and community spaces, all shaped by active listening and a meticulous approach to financial, physical, social, and environmental factors. With a belief that nature provides unlimited inspiration, Jerry continues to create spaces that harmonize with their surroundings while meeting the needs of diverse communities.
Hannah Boehmer, AIA
Hannah, originally from Cocoa Beach, graduated in May 2014 with a Master of Architecture from the University of South Florida and has been a licensed architect since 2019. She has worked on projects in both the residential and public spectrum of the office and has a fondness for working with existing structures, bringing clarity and renewed purpose to otherwise unconsidered spaces.
In 2019, her graduate thesis exploring how contemporary design can integrate with Florida vernacular won an AIA Florida Theoretical and Research Design Merit Award. In 2021, Hannah secured the first runner-up finish in the Center for Architecture's Tiny House Competition. In addition to obsessively observing the play of shadow and light in daily spaces, she is also a member of the Junior League of Sarasota, an avid reader, and an espresso enthusiast.
Designed in Collaboration With Hello June Creative.
Ⓒ Sweet Sparkman Architecture & Interiors 2025, All Rights Reserved. License: AR0015832