Compass Haus: Minimalist Waterfront House Shaped by Climate Rules
Compass Haus is a house in Longboat Key, FL, United States, designed by SOLSTICE Planning and Architecture in 2017. Elevated one story to meet flood rules, it responds to waterfront setback lines with a minimalist form and a plan oriented toward Sarasota Bay. The house links kitchen, entry, living, and dining areas to the water, while the stair, roof terrace, and landscape shape daily movement.
About Compass Haus
Compass Haus is conceived as a minimalist structure built beyond code in terms of systems and performance. The goal is to reduce dependence on human infrastructure and lower risk from hurricanes and other storms.
The Longboat Key residence is closely bounded by waterfront setback lines and rises one story to meet flood regulations. Its outward-facing form reconnects the elevated house to the exterior and takes advantage of waterfront views, while the peninsula setting gives the interior direct visual ties to the water on several sides.
The kitchen sits at the center of the home, and the open plan links it to the entry, living, and dining areas. Those rooms capture views of the pool and Sarasota Bay beyond, while the elevated pool extends the visible exterior field past the setbacks.
A distinctive modern stair organizes the daily move from public to private areas with a gentle curve and solid wood treads. An exposed concrete wall supports the stair and the roof provides passive cooling through thermal mass. An interior stair leads to a roof terrace, giving the home a private outdoor perch close to the water.
Landscape work is treated as part of the architecture. Larger existing species are nursed through construction, and new plantings are set to soften the rigid forms without blocking views; only Florida-friendly, drought-tolerant plants are used, and site permeability is maximized. Rainwater is managed with low-slope swales and fluffed earth to speed absorption and limit bay impacts, while roof runoff is captured in cisterns for irrigation. Water Sense fixtures reduce use inside, and a bay-friendly maintenance program supports the local waterways.
Photography courtesy of SOLSTICE Planning and Architecture
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