Learn five design tips from expert designers at MGA to create high-end homes that optimize stunning views of nature.
The best residential designers design with views in mind, creating homes that are not just living spaces but vantage points to the outdoors. Each design choice should be rooted in what the people living in the space will experience and how it functions for their daily needs. Once designers understand occupants' needs and desires, designers can use strategies — from optimizing floorplans to sequencing views — to create visual interest and achieve their client’s goals.
MGA, a design studio out of Boston, Massachusetts, excels at optimizing stunning views for its clients — and shared a few of their best ideas with us. The firm believes every space deserves beauty and purpose and has dedicated over 20 years to enriching people’s daily lives through meaningful design. Learn how MGA incorporates thoughtful design elements that unlock breathtaking scenery with these five design considerations.
A bird’s eye view of the Governor’s Island residence’s many buildings, strategically placed to optimize views for each. Scroll to see the SketchUp model. Image courtesy of MGA. Photographer: Trent Bell
1. Site strategically
Determining a home's perfect location and orientation maximizes the views residents can enjoy. MGA mindfully places each dwelling in a specific location on a site. The residential complex they designed on Govenor's Island, Gilford, NH, is a prime illustration of this concept. This project, positioned on a peninsula, offers the occupants a rare luxury — witnessing the dawn and dusk over Lake Winnipesaukee.
The buildings on the site include a main house, a recreational barn, and a guest house. The client's goal was to have a complex with views across both sides of the shoreline.
MGA used SketchUp to create the conceptual design of the site, dropping Google Maps data into the 3D modeling software to better understand the topography and shadows. Using this data, MGA positioned the structures so that each one gave clear lines of sight for both the occupants in that building and those who would be residing in other buildings.